bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Antihypertensive Treatment in Elderly Frail Patients
Authors: Rea Federico , Cantarutti Anna , Merlino Luca , Ungar Andrea , Corrao Giovanni , Mancia Giuseppe
Published: June 2020

Aim of our study was to assess the relationship between adherence with antihypertensive drugs and the risk of death in frail versus nonfrail old individuals. Using the database of the Lombardy Region (Italy), we identified 1 283 602 residents aged ≥65 years (mean age 76) who had ≥3 prescriptions of antihypertensive drugs between 2011 and 2012. A nested case-control design was applied, with cases being the cohort members who died during the observation period (7 years). Logistic regression was used to model the association of interest, with adjustment for potential confounders. Adherence was measured by the proportion of the follow-up covered by prescriptions, and the analysis was separately performed in patients with a good, medium, poor, and very poor clinical status, as assessed by a score that has been shown to be a sensitive predictor of death in the Italian population. The 7-year death probability increased from 16% (good) to 64% (very poor) clinical status. Compared with patients with very low adherence with antihypertensive treatment (<25% of follow-up time covered by prescriptions), those with high adherence (>75% of time covered by prescriptions) exhibited a lower risk of all-cause mortality in each group, the difference decreasing progressively (−44%, −43%, −40%, and −33%) from the good to the very poor clinical status. Adherence with antihypertensive drug treatment was also associated with a lower risk of cardiovascular mortality. Adherence with antihypertensive appears to be protective in frail old patients, but the benefit is less marked than in patients with a good clinical status.
CRISPR-Mediated Single Nucleotide Polymorphism Modeling in Rats Reveals Insight Into Reduced Cardiovascular Risk Associated With Mediterranean
G6PD
Variant
Authors: Kitagawa Atsushi , Kizub Igor , Jacob Christina , Michael Kevin , D’Alessandro Angelo , Reisz Julie A. , Grzybowski Michael , Geurts Aron M. , Rocic Petra , Gupte Rakhee , Miano Joseph M. , Gupte Sachin A.
Published: June 2020

Epidemiological studies suggest that individuals in the Mediterranean region with a loss-of-function, nonsynonymous single nucleotide polymorphism (S188F), in glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (
G6pd
) are less susceptible to vascular diseases. However, this association has not yet been experimentally proven. Here, we set out to determine whether the Mediterranean mutation confers protection from vascular diseases and to discover the underlying protective mechanism. We generated a rat model with the Mediterranean single nucleotide polymorphism (G6PD
S188F
) using CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing. In rats carrying the mutation, G6PD activity, but not expression, was reduced to 20% of wild-type (WT) littermates. Additionally, unbiased metabolomics analysis revealed that the pentose phosphate pathway and other ancillary metabolic pathways connected to the pentose phosphate pathway were reduced (
P
<0.05) in the arteries of G6PD
S188F
versus WT rats. Intriguingly, G6PD
S188F
mutants, as compared with WT rats, developed less large arterial stiffness and hypertension evoked by high-fat diet and nitric oxide synthase inhibition with L-N
G
-nitroarginine methyl ester. Intravenous injection of a voltage-gated L-type Ca
2+
channel agonist (methyl 2,6-dimethyl-5-nitro-4-[2-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl]-1,4-dihydropyridine-3-carboxylate; Bay K8644) acutely increased blood pressure in WT but not in G6PD
S188F
rats. Finally, our results suggested that (1) lower resting membrane potential of smooth muscle caused by increased expression of K
+
channel proteins and (2) decreased voltage-gated Ca
2+
channel activity in smooth muscle contributed to reduced hypertension and arterial stiffness evoked by L-N
G
-nitroarginine methyl ester and high-fat diet to G6PD
S188F
mutants as compared with WT rats. In summary, a mutation resulting in the replacement of a single amino acid (S188F) in G6PD, the rate-limiting enzyme in the pentose phosphate pathway, ascribed properties to the vascular smooth muscle that shields the organism from risk factors associated with vascular diseases.
Variation in Mainland Scandinavian Object Shift: A Prosodic Analysis
Authors: Erteschik-Shir Nomi , Josefsson Gunlög , Köhnlein Björn
Published: June 2020

Despite decades of research, debate continues over the analysis of Object Shift in Mainland Scandinavian, and all syntactic and information-structural accounts have run into empirical and/or conceptual problems. We argue that this debate can be resolved by recognizing that Object Shift is, in fact, a prosodic phenomenon. Our analysis builds on the observation that varieties with optional Object Shift (most Swedish dialects, South Danish dialects (e.g., Ærø)) also have a tone accent contrast. The in-situ word order in these varieties is licensed because tonal accent creates a prosodic domain that makes the incorporation of weak pronouns possible.
Tillandsia dichromantha (Tillandsioideae; Bromeliaceae), a new species from the state of Oaxaca, Mexico

Authors: HERNÁNDEZ-CÁRDENAS RODRIGO ALEJANDRO , ESPEJO-SERNA ADOLFO , LÓPEZ-FERRARI ANA ROSA , LARA-GODÍNEZ SOFÍA ANA LUCRECIA
Published: June 2020

Tillandsia dichromantha, a new species from the state of Oaxaca, Mexico, is described and illustrated. The proposed taxon is compared with T. achyrostachys and T. ilseana, species with which it has some similarities. Images and a distribution map are included.
Two new species of rattans (Calamus, Arecaceae) from forests over limestone in the Philippines

Authors: ADORADOR JIRO T. , FERNANDO EDWINO S.
Published: June 2020

We describe two novel diminutive species of Calamus, C. carsicola and C. warayanus, from the islands of Samar and Siargao, Philippines. Despite their respective similarities with the more variable and widely-distributed C. discolor and C. microsphaerion, both new taxa are distinctive by a suite of unique morphological character combinations. These new rattans are both characterized by their very slender clustering habit and are apparently restricted to forests over limestone. Relevant taxonomic notes and preliminary IUCN conservation status are herein provided.
Diplophyllum purpurascens (Scapaniaceae, Marchantiophyta)—a new species from Sino-Himalaya (China)

Authors: BAKALIN VADIM , VILNET ANNA , KLIMOVA KSENIA , MA WEN ZHANG , NGUYEN VAN SINH
Published: June 2020

Diplophyllum purpurascens is described from the northern part of Yunnan Province in China based on the evidence obtained during an integrative study. The new species differs from congeners in its pinkish to purplish gemmae—a feature not known before in Diplophyllum. The species occupies a basal position in a clade composed of D. sibiricum, D. obtusifolium and D. andrewsii and is morphologically similar to all the aforementioned species. Diplophyllum purpurascens probably belongs to the group of Sino-Himalayan liverworts—a very diverse, little understood complex of taxa.
Salix aegaea (Salicaceae), a new species from island of Ikaria (Greece)

Authors: CAMBRIA SALVATORE , BRULLO CRISTIAN , GIUSSO DEL GALDO GIANPIETRO , SCIANDRELLO SAVERIO , SIRACUSA GIUSEPPE , BRULLO SALVATORE
Published: June 2020

A new species of willow from Ikaria Island (Greece), named Salix aegaea, is described and illustrated. For the leaf shape, as well as for the hairy ovary, capsule and base of stamina filaments, it shows close relationships with the species belonging to S. apennina group. It is morphologically well differentiated in several features regarding the shape and size of branches, leaves, inflorescences, floral bracts, ovaries, stamens and capsules, as well as the structure of leaf epicuticular waxes and hairs. Considerations on its ecology, chorology, leaf micro-morphology, conservation status and the identification keys including the allied species are also provided.
A revision of the Brazilian species of Lysmata Risso, 1816 (Decapoda: Caridea: Lysmatidae), with discussion of the morphological characters used in their identification
Authors: PACHELLE PAULO P.G. , CARVALHO LEINA , ALVES DOUGLAS F.R. , ANKER ARTHUR
Published: June 2020

The present study is a taxonomic revision of the species of the shrimp genus Lysmata Risso, 1816 from Brazil, based on literature records and specimens deposited mostly in the Museu de Zoologia da Universidade de São Paulo (MZUSP). A total of eleven species are included, these being L. ankeri Rhyne & Lin, 2006, L. bahia Rhyne & Lin, 2006, L. grabhami (Gordon, 1935), L. intermedia (Kingsley, 1878), L. cf. jundalini Rhyne, Calado & Santos, 2012, L. lipkei Okuno & Fiedler, 2010, L. moorei (Rathbun, 1901), L. rathbunae Chace, 1970, L. uncicornis Holthuis & Maurin, 1952, L. vittata (Stimpson, 1860) and L. wurdemanni (Gibbes, 1850). The material from São Paulo recently reported as L. jundalini by Terossi et al. (2018) is re-identified as L. intermedia, based on a re-analysis of their voucher specimens. On the other hand, a single non-ovigerous specimen from Espírito Santo without a photographic voucher, is tentatively identified as L. cf. jundalini. The importance of some morphological characters often used in the taxonomy of Lysmata is discussed in the light of the present material. Several species are illustrated, some with new locality or state records along the Brazilian coast. Doubtful literature records are commented and an updated taxonomic key for the Brazilian species of Lysmata is provided.
The enigmatic case of the genus Argyresthia in the Azores Islands (Lepidoptera: Argyresthiidae)
Authors: SANTA-RITA JOSE V. PÉREZ , BAIXERAS JOAQUIN , KARSHOLT OLE
Published: June 2020

The species composition of the genus Argyresthia Hübner, 1825 in the Azores is examined. Argyresthia brumella, sp. nov., is described and illustrated from Terceira and Flores Islands. Argyresthia minusculella Rebel, 1940, syn. nov. and Tinea poecilella Rebel, 1940, syn. nov. are synonymized with Argyresthia atlanticella Rebel, 1940. The high variability of A. atlanticella is revealed through the polymorphic wing pattern and the intraspecific genetic divergence of the DNA barcode COI in the specimens examined.
Two new species of holothurians of the genus Echinopsolus Gutt, 1990
(Echinodermata: Dendrochirotida: Cucumariidae) from the North-Western Pacific
Authors: PANINA ELENA G. , STEPANOV VADIM G. , SMIRNOV ALEXEI V. , MARTYNOV ALEXANDR V.
Published: June 2020

Two new species of the genus Echinopsolus—E. sanamyanorum and E. onekotanensis are described. This genus is new for North-Western Pacific marine fauna. Echinopsolus sanamyanorum was collected in the Avacha Gulf (south-east coast of Kamchatka), E. onekotanensis—near the Onekotan Island (The Kuril Islands).
2. From Experience to Language in Narrative Practices in Therapeutic Education in France
Authors: Breton Hervé
Published: June 2020

Secondly, situated within a French theoretical framework, we have ‘From Experience to Language in Narrative Practices in Therapeutic Education in France’ (Ch2). This study, by Hervé Breton, explores ways of sharing patients’ experiences verbally in a health context as a contribution to making such services more democratic. Making medical practitioners more aware of patients’ needs and feelings acts to redress power imbalances between patients and professionals. The study shows how formulating experiences as stories makes them ‘sayable’ and worthy of attention in an account that highlights new practical uses for narratives. This is a beautifully crafted chapter, thoroughly supported by a range of French academic literature. To assist those for whom this may not be accessible, some English texts are added in the chapter
7. Irish Adult Educators Find Fulfilment amid Poor Employment Conditions
Authors: Bates Evoy Sarah
Published: June 2020

Next we have a chapter, which considers Irish systems. ‘Irish Adult Educators Find Fulfilment amid Poor Employment Conditions’ (Ch7). Sarah Bates Evoy studies the working conditions of part-time lecturers in Further Education and Training by interviewing the practitioners in person, seeking to establish why they tolerate their conditions of work and whether they are even aware that they are disadvantaged compared to other sectors in education. The chapter uses Margaret Archer’s (2000, 2003) work on identity, agency and structure as an effective framework for analysis, considering wellbeing in terms of natural, practical and social factors
9. Punishment Discourses in Everyday Life
Authors: Pathak Khum Raj
Published: June 2020

In chapter nine, ‘Punishment Discourses in Everyday Life’, Khum Raj Pathak is motivated by his insider knowledge as a student, then a teacher in Nepal to collect the stories of adults who suffered similar regimes of punishment. Working within a philosophical tradition he presents a powerful rhetorical argument about how violent languageconstructs punishment discourses, reminding us, through a flying visit to the British press, that such language is common in other cultures too, but may go unnoticed. In his narrative research he further explores the links between physical punishment and discourses of punishment and how together these disempower the individual who is punished.
12. What Game Are We Playing? Narrative Work that Supports Gamblers
Authors: Castiglioni Micaela , Girotti Carola
Published: June 2020

Finally, in ‘What Game Are We Playing? Narrative Work that Supports Gamblers’ (Ch12), Micaela Castiglioni and Carola Girotti trace the notion of play back to its philosophical origins, as a pursuit that is important to adults and children alike and made up of games of competition, chance, simulation and vertigo. Drawing upon European theorizations (from, for example, Huizinga and Caillois) gambling is clearly situated in the category of chance (Alea), as the authors explain, and this very act helps to reduce the associated stigma, as it becomes play gone wrong. The authors discuss the usefulness of narratives in capturing the essence of difficulties with recovering addicts in two Italian contexts, although they keep the actual narratives confidential in order to maintain anonymity.
16. Adult Education as a Means to Enable Polish Citizens to Question Media Coverage of Political Messages
Authors: Zientek Marta
Published: June 2020

n the final chapter of this section (Ch16), ‘Adult Education as a Means to Enable Polish Citizens to Question Media Coverage of Political Messages’, Marta Zientek draws attention to the processes that underpin the formation of a national identity. Poland is undergoing a period of instability and unrest, its people unable to challenge political groups effectively as they lack a platform from which to confront rhetoric. Marta is helping adult students to find ways to engage discursively and to work around the political messages that hold the country in thrall, through a course in communication. Here we get a glimpse of a project still unfolding in turbulent times.
24. UK Senior Citizens Learn Filmmaking as a Creative Pathway to Reflection and Fulfilment
Authors: Brayshaw Teresa , Granville Jenny
Published: June 2020

Teresa Brayshaw and Jennifer Granville’s chapter, ‘UK Senior Citizens Learn Filmmaking as a Creative Pathway to Reflection and Fulfilment’ (Ch24), is styled to echo the processes that underpin their work and includes the QR code for the actual film produced so that you can view it for yourself. Theirs is an active and visual medium, so rather than present a traditional linear text, we worked with them to develop a multi-stranded chapter whose stages reflect those of filmmaking, introducing visual prompts when possible. Instead of a literature review there is a pictorial representation of key phrases relating to gerontology. The chapter starts with a ‘script’ and uses emails to tell the story as it developed, being honest about the problems rather than creating a polished overview that smooths away any conflict or confusion.
27. Reflections on a Creative Arts Project to Explore the Resilience of Young Adults with a Muslim Background in Finland
Authors: Oikarinen-Jabai Helena
Published: June 2020

In, ‘Reflections on a Creative Arts Project to Explore the Resilienceof Young Adults with a Muslim Background in Finland’, Helena Oikarinen-Jabai (Ch27) offers a detailed and candid account of the reality of involvement in a participatory project that is a collaboration across disciplinary boundaries. Both researchers and participants held different priorities and the creative nature of the project further widened the scope for interpretation. The author offers interesting insights into the processes of bringing the project to conclusion in a successful exhibition and also conveys the issues that were important to participants with a Muslim background (captured, for example, in this appellation).
Article 101 TFEU’s Association of Undertakings Notion and Its Surprising Potential to Help Distinguish Acceptable from Unacceptable Algorithmic Collusion
Authors: Van Cleynenbreugel Pieter
Published: June 2020

The machine learning capabilities of new technologies raise provocative questions and challenges for the development of competition law within the digital economy. Academic discussions have focused on how antitrust law should avoid, anticipate, and respond to such behavior. The predominant emerging narrative is that antitrust law, in its current form, is unable to distinguish between acceptable and unacceptable algorithmic collusion. The purpose of this article is to challenge that claim in the context of Article 101 Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (EU). The reference within Article 101 TFEU to “associations of undertakings” plays a crucial role in that regard and offers a promising tool to better identify and regulate forms of unacceptable algorithmic collusion. Against that background, this article will propose an alternative compliance-focused way forward that could be set up without requiring modifications to the EU legal framework.
Mastering the Digital Transformation of Sales
Authors: Guenzi Paolo , Habel Johannes
Published: June 2020

Managerial and academic literature provide only limited guidance on how to drive the digital transformation of sales. This article presents a model for in-depth analysis of sales processes, goals for each process in terms of effectiveness and efficiency, and a structured set of digital responses. For managers, it provides actionable guidelines on how to drive the digital transformation of sales, a large set of inspiring examples, and an international benchmarking opportunity.
Immigrant Pupils and Intercultural Teaching Competencies
Authors: Batanero José María Fernández , Hernández Fernández Antonio , Colmenero Ruiz María Jesús
Published: June 2020

Over recent years, the existence of foreign pupils in Spain has generated new multicultural spaces in classrooms and an education system, which must provide equality and fairness to all pupils. In Andalusia, the number of foreign pupils registered for the academic year 2015–2016 was 89.893. In this sense, the aim is to know the perceptions of secondary school teachers in Andalusia regarding what additional competencies teachers of immigrant pupils should have. Thus, we use a descriptive research model, where the approach for the collection and analysis of data is mixed, that is, qualitative (in-depth interviews) and quantitative (questionnaires) techniques are used. To validate the content, the “Expert Judgement” technique was used, using a process of selection, named “K coefficient.” The results show that these teachers have a high level of awareness and strong attitudinal skills. However, they are clearly limited in terms of knowledge, which leads to a greater lack of abilities and skills.
Using the Standardized Root Mean Squared Residual (SRMR) to Assess Exact Fit in Structural Equation Models
Authors: Pavlov Goran , Maydeu-Olivares Alberto , Shi Dexin
Published: June 2020

We examine the accuracy of p values obtained using the asymptotic mean and variance (MV) correction to the distribution of the sample standardized root mean squared residual (SRMR) proposed by Maydeu-Olivares to assess the exact fit of SEM models. In a simulation study, we found that under normality, the MV-corrected SRMR statistic provides reasonably accurate Type I errors even in small samples and for large models, clearly outperforming the current standard, that is, the likelihood ratio (LR) test. When data shows excess kurtosis, MV-corrected SRMR p values are only accurate in small models ( p = 10), or in medium-sized models ( p = 30) if no skewness is present and sample sizes are at least 500. Overall, when data are not normal, the MV-corrected LR test seems to outperform the MV-corrected SRMR. We elaborate on these findings by showing that the asymptotic approximation to the mean of the SRMR sampling distribution is quite accurate, while the asymptotic approximation to the standard deviation is not.
Chemical Degradation of Intravenous Chemotherapy Agents and Opioids by a Novel Instrument
Authors: Macdonell Mark , Kawedia Jitesh D. , Zhang Yan Ping , Roux Ryan , Myers Alan L.
Published: June 2020

Purpose: To assess chemical degradation of various liquid chemotherapy and opioid drugs in the novel RxDestruct™ instrument. Methods: Intravenous (IV) drug solutions for chemotherapy and pain management were prepared using 0.9% normal saline in Excel® bags to a final volume of 500 mL. We investigated duplicate IV solutions of methotrexate (0.1 mg/mL), etoposide (0.4 mg/mL), doxorubicin (0.25 mg/mL), cladribine (12.4 µg/mL), fentanyl (1.0 µg/mL), and hydromorphone (12.0 µg/mL) in this study. Solutions were poured into an automated instrument to undergo pulsatile chemical treatment (Fenton reactions) for 20 minutes, and then discharged from the instrument through a waste outlet. Extent of intact drug degradation was determined by measuring concentrations of drugs before entry into the instrument and after chemical treatment in the filtrate using high-performance liquid-chromatography with ultraviolet detection (HPLC-UV). Results: Following chemical reactions (Fenton processes) in the automated instrument, infusion solutions containing methotrexate, etoposide, doxorubicin, and cladribine had levels below the HPLC-UV limit of quantification (LOQ), indicating <50 ppb of each. This equated to >99.5%, 99.99%, 99.9%, and 99.8% intact drug loss, respectively. Likewise, processed samples of fentanyl and hydromorphone contained levels below the LOQ (78 and 98 ng/mL, respectively), indicating extensive degradation (>92.2% and 99.2% intact drug loss, respectively). Conclusion: The novel instrument was capable of degrading intact chemotherapy and opioid drugs prepared in infusion solutions to undetectable quantities by HPLC-UV. RxDestruct™ is a possible alternative for disposal of aqueous medication waste.
A Place for Me? African American Transfer Student Involvement on the Campus of a Predominantly White Institution in the Midwest
Authors: McCall Danielle J. , Castles Jason
Published: June 2020

The purpose of this study was to explore the experiences and sense of belonging of African American transfer students attending a predominantly White institution in the Midwest when resources tailored to this specific group were available. This study sought to explore the effect that support services (or lack of) and staff had on the lived experiences and student involvement of African American students on a particular campus. Themes that emerged from the study indicated the cultural difference some students noticed and the satisfaction others felt with the support and programs the university offered them. Staff members indicated a lack of university services and support in retaining and assisting these students. Themes discovered from the data collected included views of the campus community, level of involvement/sense of belonging, relationship building, staff/university support, and whether the staff at the institution was providing enough support for these students.
Are Feminine Body Weight Norms Different for Black Students or in Black Schools? Girls’ Weight-Related Peer Acceptance across Racialized School Contexts
Authors: Martin Molly A. , Thomas Tori , Adler Gary J. , Kreager Derek A.
Published: June 2020

Adolescent girls with overweight or obesity are less socially integrated than their thinner peers. We examine racial-ethnic differences in girls’ weight-related friendship patterns, especially noting Black–white distinctions given their different norms about the ideal feminine form. We also test whether schools with more Black students see diminished weight-related differences in peer integration for all girls and/or for Black girls. Using 1994–1995 data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health, we predict the number of friendship nominations girls receive conditional on their weight status, race-ethnicity, and school’s racial composition. Both white and Black girls with overweight or obesity are less integrated than their thinner peers regardless of the school’s Black enrollment rate. Hispanic girls with overweight are more integrated than white girls with overweight, particularly in schools with low Black enrollments. The relative consistency of girls’ weight-related friendship patterns demonstrates the ubiquity of dominant feminine thinness norms.
Overlapping international human rights institutions: Introducing the Women’s Rights Recommendations Digital Database (WR2D2)
Authors: Haglund Jillienne , Hillebrecht Courtney
Published: June 2020

With the proliferation of the international human rights regime, states confront a dense set of institutional commitments. Our knowledge of the influence of these commitments is limited for two reasons. First, scholars largely focus on the effect of treaty ratification on states’ human rights behavior, but states engage with these institutions after ratification via regional human rights court rulings and UN recommendations. Second, scholars often examine these institutions in isolation. The institutions do not operate in isolation, however, nor do states necessarily consider the requests they receive from these institutions independently. In this article, we introduce the Women’s Rights Recommendations Digital Database (WR2D2), which maps the various recommendations international women’s rights institutions make on European states. We begin by discussing the importance of recommendations from international institutions and their relationship with commitment and compliance. We then describe the data collection effort, including two dimensions on which recommendations made to European states vary – precision and action. Next, we report descriptive statistics from the dataset, including regional and temporal trends. We conclude with a discussion of the multifaceted research agenda that this new dataset can facilitate.
Interstate War Battle dataset (1823–2003)
Authors: Min Eric
Published: June 2020

Extant scholarship on interstate war and conflict resolution predominantly utilizes formal models, case studies, and statistical models with wars as the unit of analysis to assess the impact of battlefield activity on war duration and termination. As such, longstanding views of war have not been tested systematically using intraconflict measures, and deeper studies of war dynamics have also been hampered. I address these gaps by creating and introducing the Interstate War Battle (IWB) dataset, which captures the outcomes and dates of 1,708 battles across 97 interstate wars since 1823. This article describes the sources used to create these data, provides definitions, and presents descriptive statistics for the basic battle data and several daily-level measures constructed from them. I then use the data to test the implications of two major theoretical perspectives on conflict termination: the informational view, which emphasizes convergence in beliefs through battlefield activity; and Zartman’s ripeness theory, which highlights costly stalemates in fighting. I find suggestive evidence for informational views and little support for ripeness theory: new battlefield outcomes promote negotiated settlements, while battlefield stagnation undermines them. The IWB dataset has significant implications, highlights future research topics, and motivates a renewed research agenda on the empirical study of conflict.
Aren’t Prosody and Syntax Marking Bias in Questions?
Authors: Arnhold Anja , Braun Bettina , Romero Maribel
Published: June 2020

As first observed by Ladd in 1981, English polar questions with high negation (e.g., Aren’t they adding a menu item?) can be used both to check the speaker’s belief that the proposition p is true (e.g., p = they are adding a menu item) and to check the addressee’s belief that p is not true (¬ p). We hypothesized that this ambiguity can be disambiguated prosodically. We further hypothesized that the prosodic disambiguation is absent in German, because the checked proposition can be marked morpho-syntactically, with questions with high negation checking p and low negation questions (e.g., Are they not adding a menu item?) checking ¬ p.

A production study tested these hypotheses with 24 speakers of Western Canadian English and German each (764 and 767 total utterances, respectively). The results showed that, when the speaker originally believed p and the addressee implied ¬ p, English speakers preferred questions with high negation over low negation questions, confirming Ladd’s observation, and used intonation to mark whose proposition they were checking, as hypothesized. By contrast, German speakers marked this distinction morpho-syntactically, realizing mostly questions with high negation to check their own proposition and low negation questions to check the addressee’s proposition. Their prosody, in turn, was largely determined by the morpho-syntactic question form. The study further manipulated the speaker’s certainty of the checked proposition, but, in contrast to studies on Romance languages, found that certainty itself was not marked.
Health Literacy and Health Behaviors Among Adults With Prediabetes, 2016 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System
Authors: Luo Huabin , Chen Zhuo , Bell Ronny , Rafferty Ann P. , Gaskins Little N. Ruth , Winterbauer Nancy
Published: June 2020

Objectives

Evidence is needed for designing interventions to address health literacy–related issues among adults with prediabetes to reduce their risk of developing type 2 diabetes. This study assessed health literacy and behaviors among US adults with prediabetes and the mediating role of health literacy on health behaviors.

Methods

We used data from the 2016 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) ( N = 54 344 adults). The BRFSS health literacy module included 3 questions on levels of difficulty in obtaining information, understanding health care providers, and comprehending written information. We defined low health literacy as a response of “somewhat difficult” or “very difficult” to at least 1 of these 3 questions. Respondents self-reported their prediabetes status. We included 3 health behavior indicators available in the BRFSS survey—current smoking, physical inactivity, and inadequate sleep, all measured as binary outcomes (yes/no). We used a path analysis to examine pathways among prediabetes, health literacy, and health behaviors.

Results

About 1 in 5 (19.0%) adults with prediabetes had low health literacy. The rates of physical inactivity (31.0% vs 24.6%, P < .001) and inadequate sleep (38.8% vs 33.5%, P < .001) among adults with prediabetes were significantly higher than among adults without prediabetes. The path analysis showed a significant direct effect of prediabetes and health literacy on health behaviors. The indirect effect of prediabetes through health literacy on health behaviors was also significant.

Conclusion

BRFSS data from 2016 showed that rates of low health literacy and unhealthy behaviors were higher among adults with prediabetes than among adults without prediabetes. Interventions are needed to assist adults with prediabetes in comprehending, communicating about, and managing health issues to reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes.
Bridging sociology of religion to transition to adulthood: The emerging role of religion in young adults’ lives
Authors: Jung Gowoon , Park Hyunjoon
Published: June 2020

The sociology of religion has not systematically explored the emerging roles of religion in the whole process of the transition to adulthood, especially in the changing contexts of delayed and complicated transitions to adulthood. Seeking to bridge the two different fields of sociology, we identify four directions of research: (1) a multidimensional approach that identifies the different dimensions of religion with varying degrees of relationship to young adults’ lives; (2) a close attention to racial/ethnic variation in the roles of religion for the transition to adulthood; (3) an open inquiry into the changing importance of religion for young adults in a rapidly shifting neoliberal global economy; and (4) the detrimental effects of religion in the transition to adulthood. We call for more research on the increasingly complex relationship between religion and the transition to adulthood.
An improved DC-DC converter with high voltage gain based on fully tapped quadratic boost converter for grid connected solar PV micro-inverter
Authors: Bentouati Lakhdar , Cheknane Ali , Benyoucef Boumediène , Barambones Oscar
Published: June 2020

The need to increase the voltage level produced by PV systems becomes an urgent task to be compatible with the requirements of the AC load, but we meet problems in the operation of the step-up converter at a high duty cycle which is not preferred due to the reduction in voltage gain, and also a higher number of turns ratio in the windings inductance coupled adds to the overall losses of the converter. This article proposes an improved DC-DC converter with a lower duty cycle by integrating three tapped-inductors in new topology, which combined quadratic boost converter and tapped-inductor boost converter. The proposed converter achieves a high voltage gain with a lower duty ratio (Gmax = 14.32) and a maximum efficiency of 98.68% is improved compared to the voltage gain and efficiency results of these converters in several recently published references. The analyses are done theoretically and supported with simulation results. A prototype of the proposed converter has been built to experimentally validate the obtained results.
Location of the Sphenoid Sinus Ostium in Relation to Adjacent Anatomical Landmarks
Authors: Doubi Aseel , Albathi Abeer , Sukyte-Raube Donata , Castelnuovo Paolo , Alfawwaz Fahad , AlQahtani Abdulaziz
Published: June 2020

Purpose:

The variability of sphenoid pneumatization and its relationship with the surrounding structures has been suggested. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of the surrounding bony structures on the position of the sphenoid ostium (SO).

Methods:

A prospective radiological review of computed tomography images of paranasal sinuses of 150 patients (300 sides) was conducted. Parameters investigated included the presence of Onodi cells, sphenoid rostrum pneumatization, and the type of sphenoid pneumatization on the coronal and sagittal planes. Their effect was studied on the vertical and horizontal plane using lines of measurement 1 through 5.

Results:

The most common location of the SO on the horizontal plane was found to be in the middle third and was significantly affected by the rostrum pneumatization ( P value <.001) and sphenoid pneumatization on the coronal plane ( P value = .018). The location of the SO on the vertical plane was most commonly in the middle third. It was significantly affected by Onodi cell pneumatization ( P value = .021) as well as the sphenoid height ( P value <.001).

Conclusions:

Pneumatization of the sphenoid sinus and adjacent bony structures can affect the location of the SO. Presence of rostrum pneumatization and lateral sphenoid pneumatization shift the SO laterally. Presence of Onodi cell and low sphenoid roof shift the SO inferiorly. These variations need to be studied carefully before surgery in order to avoid operative complications.
Laser Microsurgery Versus Radiotherapy Versus Open Partial Laryngectomy for T2 Laryngeal Carcinoma: A Systematic Review of Oncological Outcomes
Authors: Campo Flaminia , Zocchi Jacopo , Ralli Massimo , De Seta Daniele , Russo Francesca Yoshie , Angeletti Diletta , Minni Antonio , Greco Antonio , Pellini Raul , de Vincentiis Marco
Published: June 2020

Introduction:

The aim of the current systematic review is to update the pooled survival outcome of patients with T2 glottic carcinoma treated with either laser surgery (CO2 transoral laser microsurgery [CO2 TOLMS]), radiotherapy (RT), or open partial laryngectomy (OPL).

Methods:

A systematic search was performed using the MEDLINE database, Scopus, and Google scholar. The inclusion criteria were studies of patients with T2N0 glottic tumor, treated with either primary CO2 TOLMS, definitive curative RT, or primary OPL, and with reported oncological outcome at 5 years calculated with a Kaplan-Meier or Cox regression method.

Results:

The results of the current review show that local control (LC) is higher with OPL 94.4%, while there are no differences in LC at 5-year posttreatment for patients treated with RT, compared to those treated with CO2 TOLMS (respectively, 75.6% and 75.4%). Primary treatment with OPL and CO2 TOLMS results in higher laryngeal preservation than primary treatment with RT (respectively 95.8%, 86.9%, and 82.4%).

Conclusion:

First-line treatment with OPL and CO2 TOLMS should be encouraged in selected T2 patients, because it results in higher laryngeal preservation and similar LC compared to primary treatment with RT. The involvement of the anterior commissure in the craniocaudal plane and T2b impaired vocal cord mobility have a poorer prognosis and LC compared to patients with T2a tumors for both CO2 TOLMS and RT.
When Does Social Capital Matter for Migration? A Study of Networks, Brokers, and Migrants in Nepal
Authors: Williams Nathalie E. , Hughes Christina , Bhandari Prem , Thornton Arland , Young-DeMarco Linda , Sun Cathy , Swindle Jeffrey
Published: June 2020

The study of social capital has been one of the strongest areas of recent advance in migration research, but there are still many questions about how it works and why it has varying effects in studies of different places. In this article, we address the contextual variation in social capital’s effects on migration by considering migration brokers. We argue that destinations for which migration is logistically difficult to arrange give rise to brokerage industries and hypothesize that brokers, in turn, substitute for the informational capital typically provided by social networks. Our empirical tests in Nepal support this narrative, showing that social networks matter for migration to destinations where brokers are not available and have little discernible effect on migration to brokered destinations. Our results suggest that migration research should consider the growing role of brokerage agencies, that theorizations of social capital more broadly must contend with how it is delimited by brokers, and that social scientists might also consider other consequences that can arise from these migration brokers that are increasingly common in many countries and provide a marketized replacement for social capital in some cases.
Quality of Life Questionnaire-Bronchiectasis: a study of the psychometric properties of the Brazilian Portuguese version
Authors: de Camargo Cristiane O , José Anderson , Luppo Adriano , de Camargo Anderson A , Athanazio Rodrigo A , Rached Samia Z , Quittner Alexandra L , Stelmach Rafael , Dal Corso Simone
Published: June 2020

Objective:

To evaluate the psychometric properties of the Brazilian Portuguese version of the Quality of Life Questionnaire-Bronchiectasis.

Design:

Cross-sectional study.

Setting:

Outpatient clinic.

Subjects:

Clinically stable individuals with a diagnosis of bronchiectasis.

Measures:

The evaluations performed were spirometry, incremental shuttle walk test, Saint George’s Respiratory Questionnaire, and the modified Medical Research Council dyspnea scale. The Quality of Life Questionnaire-Bronchiectasis was administered twice (seven to 14 days apart). Psychometric analyses were performed as follows: reliability, construct validity, criterion validity, and interpretability.

Results:

In total, 108 individuals (48 ± 14 years, 61 women) participated in the study. Internal consistency was considered adequate (Cronbach’s alpha ⩾ 0.70) for the majority of scales (from 0.58 to 0.93). Test–retest coefficients were moderate to excellent (intraclass correlation coefficients from 0.70 to 0.93). In the construct validity, 35 of 37 items correlated more strongly with their assigned scale than a competing scale. The convergent validity showed significant correlations between scales of the Quality of Life Questionnaire-Bronchiectasis with modified Medical Research Council dyspnea scale, and incremental shuttle walk test (r from 0.20 to 0.59). A low to moderate correlations was revealed between all scales of the Quality of Life Questionnaire-Bronchiectasis and the Saint George’s Respiratory Questionnaire domains (r from 0.26 to 0.70). The standard error of measurement was acceptable. Ceiling effects were found for the Social Functioning and Treatment Burden scales.

Conclusions:

The Quality of Life Questionnaire-Bronchiectasis is a reliable, valid instrument with adequate internal consistency for the evaluation of the impact of bronchiectasis on the health-related quality of life of Brazilian adults.
App-based supplemental exercise in rehabilitation, adherence, and effect on outcomes: a randomized controlled trial
Authors: Li Ingrid , Bui Tram , Phan Hoang T , Llado Ana , King Clayton , Scrivener Katharine
Published: June 2020

Question:

To determine the uptake of an app-based supplemental exercise programme in a rehabilitation setting and the effect of such a programme on length of stay and function compared to usual care physiotherapy.

Design:

Randomized controlled trial with random allocation and assessor blinding.

Participants:

A total of 144 individuals with mixed diagnoses (orthopaedic, neurological, reconditioning) admitted for inpatient sub-acute rehabilitation.

Interventions:

Participants were randomly allocated to usual care physiotherapy (control group) or usual care physiotherapy with the addition of an app-based supplemental exercise programme (intervention group).

Outcome measures:

The primary measure of interest was total supplementary exercise dosage completed by the intervention group. The primary between-group outcome measure was length of stay with secondary measures including walking endurance (Six-Minute Walk Test), walking speed (10-Metre Walk Test), functional mobility (Timed Up and Go Test) and level of disability (Functional Independence Measure).

Results:

Participants in the intervention group performed 7 minutes (SD: 9) or 49 repetitions (SD: 48) of supplementary exercise using the app each day. There were no differences between the groups for length of stay (mean difference (MD): −0.5 days, 95% confidence interval (CI): −3.2 to 2.2) or change in any secondary functional outcome measures, including walking speed (MD: −0.1 m/s, 95% CI: −0.2 to 0.0) and disability (MD: −0.9, 95% CI: −3.6 to 1.8).

Conclusion:

A small supplementary exercise dose was achieved by participants in the intervention group. However, such a programme did not affect length of stay or functional outcomes when compared to usual care.
The Path to Sales Center Leadership: Key Differences Between Academic and Practitioner Leaders
Authors: Chaker Nawar N. , Dixon Andrea L. , Hill Katerina E.
Published: June 2020

More universities are teaching sales to meet growing employer demand, thereby increasing the prominence of university sales centers. Sales center directors tend to be a PhD or a non-PhD faculty member. While there are advantages to both backgrounds, we know little about how sales center directors view their roles and what behaviors they enact to satisfy demands. The purpose of this research is to investigate the activities of sales center directors and gain deeper insights into their thought worlds. Leveraging job demands–resources theory and a work-based identity perspective, we posit that sales center directors with versus without a PhD will emphasize different job demands. Using a web survey to examine sales center director behaviors and in-depth interviews to explore their thought worlds, we find twice as many sales center directors with a PhD spend time on research activities than their non-PhD counterparts. Sales center directors with a PhD spend twice as much time on research activities than their non-PhD counterparts. Sales center directors without a PhD spend a quarter of their time coaching individual students while those with a PhD express strong desire to impact the sales profession, suggesting that their attention is broader than coaching students.
Does That A Really Make Up for the C? Student Reaction to Above- and Below-Average Grades
Authors: Ackerman David S. , Yang Jing
Published: June 2020

Grades function as an important tool for instructors, both to communicate information to students about their performance and to motivate them to try harder to succeed. This research examines student reactions to the presentation of grades in a marketing course to observe their impact on student ratings, perceptions, attributions, and emotions. A study compared different patterns of grades for three exams in which students could receive a 3.0 or similar grade point average (GPA). The results indicate that, holding overall GPA equal, students like a decline in grades the least, but they do not necessarily prefer improvement of grades over receiving the same grade throughout the term. Grades perceived to be bad have a disproportionate impact, regardless of the quality of the grades received later in the semester. Findings regarding student reactions support the literature on relative deprivation and on the asymmetry of negative and positive information.
Patients with cancer in the COVID-19 era: the clinical trial issue
Authors: Scarcia Marcello , Ludovico Giuseppe Mario , Fortunato Angela , Fiorentino Alba
Published: June 2020

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) hospital reorganization may result in reduced ability for the hospital to fully use its armamentarium for battling cancer. Thus different therapeutic modalities have been recommended. During the pandemic, despite regulatory agencies’ recommendations, several considerations and doubts remain for oncologic clinical trials. Considering patients who had been enrolled before the pandemic, and who plan to take the study medication, the situation becomes complicated. These patients should undergo monitoring visits, blood sampling, questionnaire, physical examination, and drug and radiation administration. To avoid deviations from the protocol and trial discontinuation, follow-up should be performed regularly, in concordance with safety guidelines. Here we report several considerations.
A Child Marriage in Early Colonial Cuzco
Authors: Mumford Jeremy Ravi
Published: June 2020

This article examines an arranged marriage between a seven-year-old Inka girl and an adult Spanish man, and the prosecution that followed. Historians of marriage in the early modern Hispanic world have found broad support for the principle of free consent, which underlay Catholic marriage law and prohibited child marriage. Child marriage was legally invalid and rare. Yet, in this case none of the participants, whether Spanish or indigenous, in favor or opposed to the marriage, considered child marriage to be wrong in itself. The marriage of a child provided members of two ruling castes (colonial elites and colonized Inkas) a shared space for family alliance.