bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Affirming and undermining motivations for reading and associations with reading comprehension, age and gender
Authors: van Steensel Roel , Oostdam Ron , van Gelderen Amos
Published: July 2019

Background

There has been an increasing interest in negative or ‘undermining’ motivations for reading. In this study, we aimed to strengthen knowledge on the validity of the distinction between affirming and undermining motivations. First, we examined whether the structure of a questionnaire based on this distinction could be confirmed. Second, we examined the predictive value of undermining motivations for reading comprehension. Third, we studied moderator effects of gender and age.

Methods

We administered a reading motivation questionnaire and a reading comprehension test to 324 low‐achieving adolescents. The questionnaire included items on affirming and undermining motivations for school and leisure time reading: intrinsic motivation and avoidance, self‐efficacy and perceived difficulty.

Results

Confirmatory factor analyses supported the assumed structure of the questionnaire. Undermining motivations, particularly perceived difficulty, explained unique variance in reading achievement. Gender and age did not moderate effects of motivational variables.

Conclusions

Educators need to be aware of the role of undermining motivations. Future research should examine if interventions can lead to the reduction of such motivations.
The Authority and Interpretation of Regulations
Authors: Edgar Andrew , Stack Kevin M.
Published: July 2019

In the past half century, governments have increasingly relied on regulations—secondary legislation issued by administrative bodies and departments—to impose obligations on private parties, multiplying the occasions for regulatory interpretation. This article develops a theory of regulatory interpretation. It argues that such a theory involves understanding the authority of regulations. Turning to the public law of the UK, US, and Australia, this article identifies an intriguing similarity; in each case, regulations have authority when they rationally and nonarbitrarily implement delegated power within the means permitted by statute. The article then argues that this account of regulatory authority justifies a common approach to interpretation in which the object of interpretation is the purpose the regulation seeks to implement, discerned from the regulation's text and accompanying explanation of its purpose, and constrained by background legal norms.
Pancreatic fat content may increase the risk of imaging progression in low‐risk branch duct intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm
Authors: Kashiwagi Kazuhiro , Minami Kazuhiro , Seino Takashi , Hirata Kenro , Iwasaki Eisuke , Inoue Nagamu , Iwao Yasushi , Kanai Takanori
Published: July 2019

Objective

To identify risk factors of imaging progression (increase in cyst size or main pancreatic duct size, or a new mural nodule) in low‐risk branch duct intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm (BD‐IPMN), including obesity‐related factors such as pancreatic fat content.

Methods

Our hospital databases were searched for patients who had completed health checkup, including upper abdominal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) over 48 months (August 2012 to July 2016). Individuals with BD‐IPMN without worrisome features and high‐risk stigmata who underwent surveillance with at least one follow‐up MRI, irrespective of the follow‐up period, were included. Pancreatic computed tomography attenuation indexes were defined as the difference between the pancreas and spleen attenuation (P ‐ S) and the pancreas to spleen attenuation ratio (P/S).

Results

Among 75 patients diagnosed as having low‐risk BD‐IPMN, during a median follow‐up of 36 months, 11 (15%) had imaging progression in cyst size, including two with worrisome features. A multivariate logistic analysis showed that the initial cyst size and both indexes (P ‐ S, or P/S) were significantly associated with imaging progression in IPMN, respectively (Model 1: odds ratio [OR] 1.188, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.060‐1.331, P = 0.003; OR 0.871, 95% CI 0.776‐0.977, P = 0.019; Model 2: OR 1.186, 95% CI 1.064‐1.322, P = 0.002; OR 0.002, 95% CI 0.000‐0.970, P = 0.049).

Conclusions

Pancreatic fat content and initial cyst size were significantly associated with imaging progression in low‐risk BD‐IPMN. Revisions of international consensus Fukuoka guidelines might be customized based on initial cyst size and pancreatic fat content.
Dosimetric comparison of volumetric‐arc therapy versus sliding window intensity‐modulated radiotherapy in postoperative treatment for primary soft tissue sarcoma of the thigh
Authors: Ortiz González Irene , Morera Cano Daniel , Roncero Sánchez Raquel , Mateos Salvador Pedro , Valencia Blanco Lourdes , Vidal Borrás Meritxell , Aymar Salís Neus , Gadea Quinteiro Jon , Jiménez Jiménez Esther , Gelabert Joan Font , Pardo Masferrer José
Published: July 2019

Aim

Intensity‐modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) has demonstrated improved local control in extremity soft tissue sarcoma (STS) after limb‐sparing surgery compared with three‐dimensional conformal radiation therapy. Our purpose was to evaluate sliding‐window IMRT (SW‐IMRT) and volumetric arc therapy (VMAT) in planning target volume (PTV) coverage and dose to organs‐at‐risk (OAR).

Methods

Sixteen patients undergoing postoperative RT for lower extremity STS were included. For each patient, one VMAT plan and one SW‐IMRT plan were proposed. Both were evaluated using cumulative dose–volume histogram data for OAR and PTVs. Prescribed dose was 66 Gy (2 Gy/fraction) to PTV1 and 56 Gy (1.69 Gy/fraction) to PTV2. OARs contoured were femur, neurovascular bundle, minimum tissue corridor, normal tissue outside PTV2, joint and genitalia. T‐Student test was performed.

Results

Eleven male (69%) and five female patients (31%) were analyzed. Mean age was 60 years. Both techniques showed optimal target coverage, conformity index (CI) and homogeneity index (HI). VMAT PTV2 CI was 1.13 (mean) ± 0.08 (standard deviation) versus 1.19 ± 0.10 SW‐IMRT PTV2 CI (P < 0.05). VMAT PTV1 HI was 0.09 ± 0.01 versus 0.08 ± 0.01 SW‐IMRT PTV1 HI (P < 0.05). Regarding OARs, VMAT delivered lower dose to femur, genitalia, normal tissue outside PTV2 and joints. SW‐IMRT spared tissue corridor mean dose (10.4 Gy ± 6.8 Gy) versus (14.7 ± 6.5 Gy) VMAT (P < 0.05).

Conclusions

Both techniques achieved great conformity, homogeneity and coverage of PTV. VMAT produced lower dose to OARS and SW‐IMRT was superior in sparing dose to normal‐tissue‐corridor, which could reduce risk of lymphedema.
Activins, follistatin and immunoregulation in the epididymis
Authors: Wijayarathna R. , Hedger M. P.
Published: July 2019

Background

The interface between the epididymis and the immune system is implicated in many male reproductive pathologies. The resident immune cell populations and immune‐environment within the epididymis are significantly different from the testis, which is an immune‐privileged site. Moreover, the immune cell subsets and immunological responses between different regions of the epididymis vary considerably. The cauda epididymis is more susceptible to autoimmune responses than the caput in rodent models of active immunization or suppressed immune tolerance, and in men with congenital or physical damage to the reproductive tract. Activins are members of the transforming growth factor‐β family of cytokines that are crucial for testis and epididymal development; however, they also have complex immunoregulatory properties and may play an essential role in the regulation of immunity in the reproductive tract.

Materials and methods

Our recent research and relevant publications by other researchers identified following a PubMed search are reviewed.

Results

The caput epididymis displays elevated endogenous expression of activins A and B and the immunoregulatory gene, indoleamine‐2,3‐dioxygenase, co‐existing with an extensive population of intra‐epithelial and interstitial macrophages and dendritic cells, which appear to be involved in regulating tolerance against sperm antigens. The caput is also relatively resistant to inflammatory damage caused by autoimmunity or bacterial infection, but the cauda, which exhibits low activin expression and high levels of the activin‐binding protein, follistatin, is highly susceptible to inflammatory damage. Paradoxically, inflammation in the cauda induces increased activin production, and inhibition of activin activity reduces inflammatory responses. Studies using mouse models with altered levels of activins and follistatin indicate a relationship between the activins and genes involved in inflammation and immunoregulation.

Conclusion

The existing data indicate that activins play a complex role in controlling inflammation and immunity in the epididymis and vas deferens.
Development of a measure of genome sequencing knowledge for young people: The kids‐KOGS
Authors: Lewis Celine , Loe Bao S. , Sidey‐Gibbons Chris , Patch Christine , Chitty Lyn S. , Sanderson Saskia C.
Published: July 2019

Genome sequencing (GS) is increasingly being used to diagnose rare diseases in paediatric patients; however, no measures exist to evaluate their knowledge of this technology. We aimed to develop a robust measure of knowledge of GS (the kids‐KOGS') suitable for use in the paediatric setting as well as for general public education. The target age was 11 to 15 year olds. An iterative process involving six sequential stages was conducted to develop a set of draft true/false items. These were then administered to 539 target‐age school pupils (mean 12.8; SD ± 1.3), from the United Kingdom. Item‐response theory was used to confirm the psychometric suitability of the candidate items. None of the Items was identified as misfits. All 10 items performed well under the two‐parameter logistic model. The internal consistency of the test was 0.84 (Cronbach alpha value) indicating excellent reliability. The mean kids‐KOGS score in the sample overall was 4.24 (SD; 2.49), where 0 = low knowledge and 10 = high knowledge. Age was positively associated with score in a multivariate linear regression. The kids‐KOGS is a short and reliable tool that can be used by researchers and healthcare professionals offering GS to paediatric patients. Further validation in a clinical setting is required.
SiamesePointNet: A Siamese Point Network Architecture for Learning 3D Shape Descriptor
Authors: Zhou J. , Wang M. J. , Mao W. D. , Gong M. L. , Liu X. P.
Published: July 2019

We present a novel deep learning approach to extract point‐wise descriptors directly on 3D shapes by introducing Siamese Point Networks, which contain a global shape constraint module and a feature transformation operator. Such geometric descriptor can be used in a variety of shape analysis problems such as 3D shape dense correspondence, key point matching and shape‐to‐scan matching. The descriptor is produced by a hierarchical encoder–decoder architecture that is trained to map geometrically and semantically similar points close to one another in descriptor space. Benefiting from the additional shape contrastive constraint and the hierarchical local operator, the learned descriptor is highly aware of both the global context and local context. In addition, a feature transformation operation is introduced in the end of our networks to transform the point features to a compact descriptor space. The feature transformation can make the descriptors extracted by our networks unaffected by geometric differences in shapes. Finally, an N‐tuple loss is used to train all the point descriptors on a complete 3D shape simultaneously to obtain point‐wise descriptors. The proposed Siamese Point Networks are robust to many types of perturbations such as the Gaussian noise and partial scan. In addition, we demonstrate that our approach improves state‐of‐the‐art results on the BHCP benchmark.
Multi‐scale habitat modelling identifies spatial conservation priorities for mainland clouded leopards (Neofelis nebulosa)
Authors: Macdonald David W. , Bothwell Helen M. , Kaszta Żaneta , Ash Eric , Bolongon Gilmoore , Burnham Dawn , Can Özgün Emre , Campos‐Arceiz Ahimsa , Channa Phan , Clements Gopalasamy Reuben , Hearn Andrew J. , Hedges Laurie , Htun Saw , Kamler Jan F. , Kawanishi Kae , Macdonald Ewan A. , Mohamad Shariff Wan , Moore Jonathan , Naing Hla , Onuma Manabu , Penjor Ugyen , Rasphone Akchousanh , Mark Rayan Darmaraj , Ross Joanna , Singh Priya , Tan Cedric Kai Wei , Wadey Jamie , Yadav Bhupendra P. , Cushman Samuel A.
Published: July 2019

Aim

Deforestation is rapidly altering Southeast Asian landscapes, resulting in some of the highest rates of habitat loss worldwide. Among the many species facing declines in this region, clouded leopards rank notably for their ambassadorial potential and capacity to act as powerful levers for broader forest conservation programmes. Thus, identifying core habitat and conservation opportunities are critical for curbing further Neofelis declines and extending umbrella protection for diverse forest biota similarly threatened by widespread habitat loss. Furthermore, a recent comprehensive habitat assessment of Sunda clouded leopards (N. diardi) highlights the lack of such information for the mainland species (N. nebulosa) and facilitates a comparative assessment.

Location

Southeast Asia.

Methods

Species–habitat relationships are scale‐dependent, yet <5% of all recent habitat modelling papers apply robust approaches to optimize multivariate scale relationships. Using one of the largest camera trap datasets ever collected, we developed scale‐optimized species distribution models for two con‐generic carnivores, and quantitatively compared their habitat niches.

Results

We identified core habitat, connectivity corridors, and ranked remaining habitat patches for conservation prioritization. Closed‐canopy forest was the strongest predictor, with ~25% lower Neofelis detections when forest cover declined from 100 to 65%. A strong, positive association with increasing precipitation suggests ongoing climate change as a growing threat along drier edges of the species’ range. While deforestation and land use conversion were deleterious for both species, N. nebulosa was uniquely associated with shrublands and grasslands. We identified 800 km2 as a minimum patch size for supporting clouded leopard conservation.

Main conclusions

We illustrate the utility of multi‐scale modelling for identifying key habitat requirements, optimal scales of use and critical targets for guiding conservation prioritization. Curbing deforestation and development within remaining core habitat and dispersal corridors, particularly in Myanmar, Laos and Malaysia, is critical for supporting evolutionary potential of clouded leopards and conservation of associated forest biodiversity.
Why Listening to Children and Young People is Important in Family Justice
Authors: Walker Janet , Misca Gabriela
Published: July 2019

During the last 30 years, there has been a growing body of evidence indicating that children and young people often feel marginalized when their parents are making critical decisions that will shape their young lives, and they are calling for family justice professionals to hear their voices. This article explores the research evidence, examines the relevant theories about child development, and demonstrates how a focus on age‐related competency fails to take account of children's subjective meanings about their lives. The authors consider a model of participation first designed to understand adult participation in government and show how this can be usefully applied to understanding children's participation in family justice.
Toughness enhancement and equivalent initial fracture toughness of cementitious composite reinforced with aligned steel fibres
Authors: Qing Longbang , Cheng Yuehua , Mu Ru
Published: July 2019

Based on theoretical analysis and numerical simulation, the impact of steel fibres on the stress intensity factor (SIF) at the crack tip for cementitious composite was studied. The enhanced toughness of steel fibre reinforced cementitious composite (SFRC) in resisting cracks was explained by the decrement of SIF caused by steel fibre inclusions at the crack tip of the composite. The equivalent initial fracture toughness
was used to characterize the crack initiation of SFRC. A simplified method for determining the
of SFRC was proposed based on a linear regression method. Fracture tests were conducted on three‐point bending notched beams with different steel fibre volume fractions and specimen sizes to study the crack initiation behaviour of aligned steel fibre reinforced cementitious composite (ASFRC).
of ASFRC was calculated, and the size effect of
was analysed. The results showed that
slightly increased with the steel fibre volume fraction and gradually became stable. For the tested specimens, whose heights varied between 40 and 100 mm, the specimen size had little impact on the
.
Climate riskscapes in world port cities: situating urban‐cosmopolitan risk communities via Ulrich Beck's comparative tactics
Authors: BLOK ANDERS
Published: July 2019

Building on empirical research into translocal connections among world port cities in addressing shared challenges of climate risk mitigation and adaptation, in this article I review two widespread tendencies in urban studies – methodological city‐ism and methodological globalism respectively – as a springboard for articulating a methodologically cosmopolitan alternative. This alternative, I argue, involves epistemological issues of how to interrogate ‘the urban’ as assemblages that constitutively draw together the near and the faraway, as well as more practical issues of mobile, multisited, and comparative urban research methods. Empirically, I compare the ways in which urban actors stage global climate risks on the waterfronts of four world cities – Hong Kong, Rotterdam, Yokohama and Copenhagen – to argue that such a comparative tactic of variable ‘riskscapes’ helps situate Ulrich Beck's notion of urban cosmopolitan risk communities more thoroughly into urban studies. In such ways, I suggest, Beck's methodological cosmopolitanism is germane to studying ongoing and far ranging transformation in world political geography, in which transurban networks, communities, and governance arrangements come to complement nation‐state centred institutions. Such conclusions must be tempered, however, by the deployment of Beck's equally strong impetus towards comparative attention to the varieties of second modernity; and doing so, I conclude, aligns well with ongoing transformations in urban studies itself.
Researchers' perspectives on public involvement in health research in Singapore: The argument for a community‐based approach
Authors: Luna Puerta Lidia , Bartlam Bernadette , Smith Helen E.
Published: July 2019

Background

Singapore is becoming a world‐class research hub, promoting the advancement of patient care through translational clinical research. Despite growing evidence internationally of the positive impact of public involvement (PPI), in Singapore PPI remains unusual beyond patient participation as subjects in studies.

Objective

To explore health researchers' understandings of the principles, role and scope of PPI, and to identify barriers and opportunities for implementation in Singapore.

Design

Semi‐structured qualitative interviews between April and July 2018. Data were analysed using thematic framework analysis.

Results

Whilst most participants (n = 20) expressed a lack of experience of PPI, the interview process provided an opportunity for reflection through which it emerged as a beneficial strategy. Interviewees highlighted both utilitarian and ethical reasons for implementing PPI, particularly around increasing the relevance and efficiency of research. In addition to those challenges to PPI documented in the existing literature, participants highlighted others specific to the Singaporean context that make PPI at an individual level unlikely to be successful, including the socio‐political environment and prevailing social and professional hierarchies. They also identified asset‐based strategies to overcome these, in particular, a more community‐oriented approach.

Conclusion

The cultural reluctance of individuals to question perceived authority figures such as researchers may be overcome by adopting an approach to PPI that is closer to family and local community values, and which facilitates patients and the public collectively engaging in research. Further work is needed to explore the views of patients and the public in Singapore, and the implications for other Asian communities.
Chronically stimulated human MAIT cells are unexpectedly potent IL‐13 producers
Authors: Kelly Jason , Minoda Yosuke , Meredith Tobias , Cameron Garth , Philipp Marie‐Sophie , Pellicci Daniel G , Corbett Alexandra J , Kurts Christian , Gray Daniel HD , Godfrey Dale I , Kannourakis George , Berzins Stuart P
Published: July 2019

Mucosal‐associated invariant T (MAIT) cells are unconventional T cells that recognize antigens derived from riboflavin biosynthesis. In addition to anti‐microbial functions, human MAIT cells are associated with cancers, autoimmunity, allergies and inflammatory disorders, although their role is poorly understood. Activated MAIT cells are well known for their rapid release of Th1 and Th17 cytokines, but we have discovered that chronic stimulation can also lead to potent interleukin (IL)‐13 expression. We used RNA‐seq and qRT‐PCR to demonstrate high expression of the IL‐13 gene in chronically stimulated MAIT cells, and directly identify IL‐13 using intracellular flow cytometry and multiplex bead analysis of MAIT cell cultures. This unexpected finding has important implications for IL‐13‐dependent diseases, such as colorectal cancer (CRC), that occur in mucosal areas where MAIT cells are abundant. We identify MAIT cells near CRC tumors and show that these areas and precancerous polyps express high levels of the IL‐13 receptor, which promotes tumor progression and metastasis. Our data suggest that MAIT cells have a more complicated role in CRC than currently realized and that they represent a promising new target for immunotherapies where IL‐13 can be a critical factor.
A Two‐Stage Method for Classroom Assessments of Essay Writing
Authors: Humphry Stephen Mark , Heldsinger Sandy
Published: July 2019

To capitalize on professional expertise in educational assessment, it is desirable to develop and test methods of rater‐mediated assessment that enable classroom teachers to make reliable and informative judgments. Accordingly, this article investigates the reliability of a two‐stage method used by classroom teachers to assess primary school students’ persuasive writing. Stage 1 involves pairwise comparisons and stage 2 involves rating against calibrated exemplars from stage 1 plus performance descriptors. A high level of interrater reliability among teachers was obtained. This is consistent with previous evidence that the two‐stage method is a viable classroom assessment method without extensive training and moderation. Implications for assessment practices in education are discussed with a focus on the widely expressed desire to value professional expertise.
Predictors of tolvaptan short‐term response in patients with refractory ascites: A meta‐analysis
Authors: Bellos Ioannis , Kontzoglou Konstantinos , Perrea Despina N
Published: July 2019

Background and Aim

Tolvaptan represents an oral V2‐receptor antagonist, which has been suggested as a promising add‐on diuretic treatment for refractory ascites. The present meta‐analysis aims to accumulate current evidence and identify which clinical and laboratory factors are linked to short‐term response to tolvaptan therapy.

Methods

Medline, Scopus, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Clinicaltrials.gov, and Google Scholar databases were searched from inception. All observational studies reporting the correlation of patients' characteristics with tolvaptan response were selected.

Results

Tolvaptan response was associated with significantly higher baseline body weight (mean difference: 4.59 kg, 95% confidence interval [CI]: [3.58, 5.61]), presence of hepatitis C (odds ratio: 1.59 95% CI: [1.18, 2.14]), lower blood urea nitrogen (BUN) (mean difference: −6.88 mg/dL, 95% CI: [−8.13, −5.63]), lower serum creatinine (mean difference: −0.17 mg/dL, 95% CI: [−0.30, −0.05]), lower C‐reactive protein (mean difference: −1.43 mg/dL, 95% CI: [−2.52, −0.35]), and higher sodium levels (mean difference: 1.00 mEq/L, 95% CI: [0.45, 1.55]). The outcomes of bodyweight, hepatitis C, BUN, and C‐reactive protein remain significant independently of response definition and risk of bias.

Conclusions

The present findings suggest bodyweight, BUN, C‐reactive protein, and hepatitis C as potential predictive factors of tolvaptan short‐term response in patients with refractory ascites. Future studies are needed to introduce cut‐off values and construct an optimal combined screening model.
Shared and syndrome‐specific adaptive difficulties in preschoolers with Williams syndrome and autism spectrum disorder: a cross‐syndrome study
Authors: Hamner T. , Raitano Lee N. , Hocking D. R. , Vivanti G.
Published: July 2019

Background

Understanding adaptive functioning profiles in children with Williams syndrome (WS) and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is critical to inform treatment strategies. However, knowledge in this area is limited and inconclusive.

Method

The current study aimed to characterise the early adaptive profiles of young children with WS (n = 18; Mage = 47 months) and ASD (n = 26; Mage = 45 months) matched on chronological age and developmental age using the Vineland Scales of Adaptive Behavior, Second Edition.

Results

Results suggest that young children with WS and ASD do not differ on their overall level of adaptive functioning but that those with WS show relative strengths in the Socialisation scale compared with children with ASD. No other subscales differed between groups. Within groups, the WS group showed a profile of Communication, Daily Living Skills and Motor < Socialisation, whereas the ASD group did not evidence differences across subscales.

Conclusions

Consideration of the shared and syndrome‐specific adaptive profiles provides relevant insight on intervention targets and strategies. Given the shared challenges across the two clinical groups, implications and future directions are discussed.
Licensing Essential Patents: The Non‐Discriminatory Commitment and Hold‐Up
Authors: Li Youping , Shuai Jie
Published: July 2019

Licensors of patents essential to a standard are often required to license on reasonable and non‐discriminatory (RAND) terms. Using a model with owners of essential patents and licensees who invest into standard‐conforming technologies, this paper demonstrates that the non‐discriminatory commitment alleviates the hold‐up problem. Moreover, it improves consumer and social welfare, and promotes upstream innovation as licensing revenue is increased. In an extended model with each licensor independently choosing whether to make the commitment, all licensors voluntarily commit in the unique equilibrium.
Volatility asymmetry in functional threshold GARCH model
Authors: Sun Hao , Yu Bo
Published: July 2019

Modeling volatility is one of the prime objectives of financial time‐series analysis. A significant feature encountered in the modeling of financial data is the asymmetric response to the volatility process of unanticipated shocks. With improvements in data acquisition, functional versions of the heteroskedastic models have emerged to deal with the high‐frequency observations. Although previous studies have developed some functional time‐series methods, it remains a necessity to analyze the variations in the asymmetry of the discrete model and the function model. In this study, we propose a functional threshold GARCH (fTGARCH) model and extend the news impact curve (NIC) and the cumulative impact response function (CIRF) within the functional heteroskedastic framework. We find that the fTGARCH model can describe the asymmetry of the observation data, which are revealed by the sample cross‐correlation functions. The slope of the NIC changes with time for functional GARCH class models, and the changes are asymmetrical for the fTGARCH model. Using the generalized CIRF, we can explore the persistent effects of volatility for the functional GARCH class models. By fitting the models to the S&P 500 stock market index, we conclude that the fTGARCH model has some flexibility and superiority in regard to volatility asymmetry.
Stakeholders' perceptions of the socio‐economic and environmental challenges at Lake Victoria
Authors: van den Broek Karlijn L.
Published: July 2019

Developing policy that is both relevant and supported requires an understanding of stakeholders' account of the key challenges in society. Such insights allow policymakers to better align their policy and collaborate with stakeholders to successfully manage the challenges. To this end, the present study reports on a problem analysis conducted with Lake Victoria stakeholders. A thorough stakeholder mapping procedure was followed by semistructured interviews with businesses, NGOs, governmental organizations and communities. In these interviews, stakeholders discussed what they perceived to be the most pressing challenges in the region, as well as their causes and possible mitigation strategies. The analysis resulted in 12 key challenges raised by the stakeholders that cover socio‐economic, environmental, health and institutional issues. Stakeholder analysis revealed that the type of challenges discussed varied across countries and stakeholder institutions. Based on these analyses, the present study concludes that these diverse perceptions must be taken into consideration in future policy formulation and that a strong partnership between policymakers and stakeholders is crucial to mitigate these challenges.
The Effects of Blaming Others for Legislative Inaction on Individual and Collective Evaluations
Authors: Doherty David , Harbridge‐Yong Laurel
Published: July 2019

Legislators commonly blame others for gridlock. We posit that legislators may engage in this type of rhetoric to minimize the individual reputational risks associated with legislative inaction or to boost the relative standing of their party. In a series of six survey experiments, we find that blaming others for inaction undermines voters’ evaluations of individual legislators who engage in this rhetorical strategy. This effect is particularly pronounced among out‐partisans and independents. However, blaming rhetoric can also enhance the standing of the blamer’s party relative to the opposing party across all groups (including out‐partisans), in large part by undermining the reputations of these other actors. Ultimately, we show that when an individual legislator engages in blaming rhetoric, the immediate net electoral effects are null. This suggests that coordinated efforts by a party to blame opponents may improve the party’s relative standing, while imposing few costs on those engaged in blaming.
Changes in patterns of the double burden of undernutrition and overnutrition in Nepal over time
Authors: Wei Junxiang , Bhurtyal Ashok , Dhungana Raja Ram , Bhattarai Basudev , Zheng Jinge , Wang Liang , Sun Xiaomin , Maskey Mahesh , Wang Youfa
Published: July 2019

Knowledge regarding nutrition transition in Nepal remains limited. This systematic review examined the shifts in undernutrition and overnutrition in Nepal during the past two decades. We searched PubMed for studies and reports published between January 1, 2000, and June 30, 2018. Publications with a sample size greater than or equal to 500 that reported prevalence of nutritional status were included. Six large national reports and 36 studies met study inclusion criteria and were included. Overall, available nationally representative data remained limited. The Nepal Demographic and Health Survey 2001 to 2016 showed that underweight prevalence decreased from 26.7% to 17.2% and prevalence of overweight/obesity increased from 6.5% to 22.1% among women of reproductive age (15‐49 years). In preschool children, prevalence of stunting, wasting, and underweight decreased from 57.2% to 35.8%, 11.2% to 9.7%, and 42.7% to 27.0%, respectively. Prevalence of overweight/obesity was low among children and was higher in higher socio‐economic status (SES) groups. The overweight‐obesity/underweight ratios indicate a shift from undernutrition to overnutrition problem; it was more evident in urban areas and higher SES groups. In conclusion, Nepal is experiencing a nutrition transition. More research is warranted to address this shift, and well‐tailored public health efforts need to combat the double burden of overweight/obesity and undernutrition.
Geopolitical risks and the predictability of regional oil returns and volatility
Authors: Demirer Riza , Gupta Rangan , Ji Qiang , Tiwari Aviral Kumar
Published: July 2019

This paper hypothesises that global geopolitical risks (GPRs) can predict oil market return and volatility. For our purpose, we use ak‐th order non‐parametric causality‐in‐quantile test, applied to a daily data set covering the period of 15 May 1996 to 31 May 2018 of six oil benchmarks (the Nigerian Bonny Light, Brent, Dubai, OPEC Reference Basket (ORB), Tapis and WTI). Our results indicate that the relationship between oil returns and GPRs is highly non‐linear, and hence, linear tests of Granger causality cannot be relied upon. Based on the data‐driven econometric method, we observe that GPRs have predictability for oil returns of the West African Bonny Light, ORB and Tapis, while in terms of volatility, causality is observed for all oil prices barring the case of Dubai. In sum, the impact of GPRs is primarily on volatility of oil markets, but more importantly, the impact of GPRs is not uniform across the oil markets.
Discontinuous contraction in the left ventricle assessed by 2‐D speckle tracking echocardiography benefits from CRT
Authors: Fujii Aya , Inden Yasuya , Yanagisawa Satoshi , Mamiya Keita , Okamoto Hiroya , Sakamoto Yusuke , Tomomatsu Toshiro , Shibata Rei , Murohara Toyoaki
Published: July 2019

Background

Cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) improves the morbidity and mortality rate in patients with left bundle‐branch block (LBBB); however, some LBBB patients are non‐responders for CRT. Previous studies have shown that a transmural functional line block alters the left ventricular (LV) activation sequence, and that the presence of a line block is predictive for responders. We investigated whether responders could be predicted in patients with LBBB by 2‐dimensional (2‐D) speckle tracking strain imaging.

Methods

We enrolled 54 patients with LBBB, who underwent echocardiography before and 6 months after CRT implantation. A responder was defined by a decrease in the LV end‐systolic volume >15% at the 6‐month follow‐up. We calculated a difference in the time from QRS onset to maximum strain between adjacent segments and defined the Tmax‐diff as the maximum difference among six intersegments. We compared the Tmax‐diff between responders and non‐responders.

Results

Among 54 patients, 37 patients were identified as responders. The Tmax‐diff of the responders was significantly longer than that of the non‐responders (309.6 ± 168.6 ms vs 181.5 ± 138.4 ms, P = .009). Furthermore, Tmax‐diff ≥ 195 ms was higher in the septal and the anterior area. And patients with a Tmax‐diff ≥ 195 ms tended to be responders (P = .02).

Conclusion

The present study showed that discontinuous contraction of the LV could be detected in CRT responders by 2‐D speckle tracking strain imaging, which may be a useful tool to identify the contraction pattern of patients with LBBB and predict CRT responders.
Seed quality and carbon primary metabolism
Authors: Domergue Jean‐Baptiste , Abadie Cyril , Limami Anis , Way Danielle , Tcherkez Guillaume
Published: July 2019

Improving seed quality is amongst the most important challenges of contemporary agriculture. In fact, using plant varieties with better germination rates that are more tolerant to stress during seedling establishment may improve crop yield considerably. Therefore, intense efforts are currently being devoted to improve seed quality in many species, mostly using genomics tools. However, despite its considerable importance during seed imbibition and germination processes, primary carbon metabolism in seeds is less studied. Our knowledge of the physiology of seed respiration and energy generation and the impact of these processes on seed performance have made limited progress over the past three decades. In particular, (isotope‐assisted) metabolomics of seeds has only been assessed occasionally, and there is limited information on possible quantitative relationships between metabolic fluxes and seed quality. Here, we review the recent literature and provide an overview of potential links between metabolic efficiency, metabolic biomarkers, and seed quality and discuss implications for future research, including a climate change context.
Why and for whom does the pressure to help hurt others? Affective and cognitive mechanisms linking helping pressure to workplace deviance
Authors: Koopman Joel , Rosen Christopher C. , Gabriel Allison S. , Puranik Harshad , Johnson Russell E. , Ferris D. Lance
Published: July 2019

Scholars are paying increasing attention to the “dark side” of citizenship behavior. One aspect of this dark side that has received relatively scant attention is “helping pressure”—an employee's perception that s/he is being encouraged to, or otherwise feels that s/he should, enact helping behavior at work. Drawing from theory associated with work stress, we examine affective and cognitive mechanisms that potentially explain why helping pressure, counterintuitively, may lead employees to engage in deviant behavior instead. Beyond examining these possible mechanisms, we also answer calls to identify a potential buffer to these effects. Drawing from self‐determination theory, we examine how an employee's intrinsic motivation for citizenship may lessen the deleterious consequences of helping pressure at work. In two studies (a within‐individual experience‐sampling study and a two‐wave between‐individual study), we find consistent evidence that helping pressure has a positive indirect relationship with deviant behavior through increased negative affect. Further, we find evidence that intrinsic motivation for citizenship weakens the positive relationship of helping pressure with negative affect, buffering the indirect effect on subsequent deviant behavior. Theoretical and practical implications of these findings for the study of helping pressure at work are discussed.
Enforcement of the 2020 sulphur limit for marine fuels: Restrictions and possibilities for port States to impose fines under UNCLOS
Authors: Fanø Jesper Jarl
Published: July 2019

Sulphur pollution emanating from the exhaust gases of ships has a negative impact on the environment and on human health, in particular resulting in early deaths and child asthma. On 1 January 2020, international regulation lowering the allowed amount of sulphur in marine fuels will come into force. However, compliance with, and effective enforcement of, this regulation is very uncertain due to the vast savings that shipowners can achieve by not complying. The lack of effective and deterring fines is often attributed to the lack of jurisdiction when a violation takes place on the high seas. This article aims to provide an analysis of the special jurisdictional basis codified in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea for port States to assert jurisdiction over violations of the strengthened 2020 sulphur limit on the high seas, encompassing the right to impose dissuasive fines.
Design of a Soft Ankle Joint Device for Correction of Inversion/Eversion Angle During Aquatic Therapy
Authors: Nyugen Joey , Kannapiran Shenbagaraj , Chaudhuri Subhrajyoti , Gentz Valerie Lane , Polygerinos Panagiotis
Published: July 2019

According to statistical data, approximately 800,000 individuals across the United States have strokes each year [2]. A stroke event causes neurological and orthopedic deficits, such as weak muscles, decreased proprioception, and spasticity [6]. To regain function, increase motor skills, and retrain muscles, many stoke survivors utilize aquatic therapy as a form of rehabilitation [14]. Typically inside water, the lower body part of a person has to carry 75% less weight, This decreases the effect of gravity allowing increased joint range of motion [6], [13]. This also helps increase muscle strength as water offers about 600 more resistance than air [13]. The water temperature also helps decrease pain, spasticity, and rigidity [13]. The uniform pressure along with buoyancy contributes to an improved balance of the body [13].
Augmented Reality Aided Medical Device Design
Authors: Garfield M. Robert , Dupont Alex
Published: July 2019

Blurring the line between the physical and digital environment, augmented reality (AR) is the next frontier for medical device design. It is particularly useful as a means for rapid concept visualization and iterative refinement. By selectively mixing AR and physical prototypes, designers can conduct haptic evaluation alongside visual assessment. The integration of AR and traditional tools during development continues the practice of advancing design methods in parallel with technology. This paper explains the design of a mobile medical device/workstation using an AR aided medical device design process from an industry perspective. This case study demonstrates the viability and benefits of an AR aided design process pairing off-the-shelf AR technology with physical models of increasing fidelity. AR aided medical device design helps design teams accelerate development, lower prototyping costs, assess scaled designs earlier, illustrate contextual constraints, and reduce development risk.
Development of an Ankle-Foot Prosthesis for Physical Therapy
Authors: Nickel Eric , Voss Gregory , Hansen Andrew , Koehler-McNicholas Sara
Published: July 2019

A novel ankle-foot prosthesis with adjustable range-of-motion limits was developed to support implementation of gradual training protocols in the physical therapy of new amputees. Stakeholder interviews drove design requirements that guided the development. Our first prototype did not pass structural strength testing, but with minor revisions to some components, our second prototype was able to pass structural strength testing to the P6 load level (125kg user) of the ISO 10328 standard for prosthetic feet. The system is ready for laboratory testing with prosthesis users and clinicians to generate further insight for future design iterations.
Distributions of Arterial Calcification Along Transcatheter Delivery System Pathway
Authors: Holm Mikayle , Iaizzo Paul A.
Published: July 2019

Medical device designers must develop catheters that avoid harming the vascular pathway during therapy delivery. To better characterize the necessary design features to minimize damage to central and peripheral vessels, the vascular pathway used for femoral delivery of a cardiac device is studied through high resolution, computed tomography images of fresh, human cadavers. Comparisons of the amount and location of vessel calcification are made between specified anatomical sections. Though the potential complications may be less fatal, the descending aorta and iliac regions were found to be most susceptible to embolism in our analysis.
Toward Textile-Based Heating Devices for the Distal Extremities: Experimental Characterization of System Design Parameters
Authors: Dupler Ellen , Gagliardi Nika , Foo Esther , Ozbek Simon , Utset-Ward Sophia , Dunne Lucy
Published: July 2019

Supplemental heating systems for the distal extremities often require a tradeoff between wearability and thermal comfort. Textile-based thermal actuation helps manage this tradeoff by increasing comfort of on-body systems. However, textile-based thermal actuation also presents important limitations in the form of current requirements, control structures, and thermal flux afforded. Further, on-body active thermal control is affected by three intersecting thermal systems: the environment, the human body, and the active heating system. Here, we present lessons learned from iterative development of textile-based wearable systems (V1, V2) designed to heat the distal extremities. Experimental characterization of textile actuator power/temperature relationships and limits; actuator performance in cool ambient temperatures and in on-body conditions; and efficacy of closed-loop duty cycle control of actuated skin temperature are presented, and implications of these characteristics for garment system design are discussed.
Automated Manufacturing of Fiber-Reinforced Elastomeric Enclosures for Patient Specific Catheter Robots
Authors: Hamlen Ben , McDonald Gillian , Gilbertson Mark , Ng Daniel , Kowalewski Timothy
Published: July 2019

“No-option” patients have vasculature too tortuous for existing catheters to navigate. To treat these patients, new catheter technologies are needed that are easy to actuate and can be customized for each patient. We propose using fiber-reinforced elastomeric enclosures (FREEs), which have been shown to be capable of performing screwing, spiraling, twisting, extending, and other motions when the fiber wrap angles are adjusted. Here, we present and validate an automated system capable of manufacturing FREEs with wrap angles from 0–90 degrees. The prescribed fiber angles were within 5 percent error when manufactured.
3D Steerable Active Surgical Needle
Authors: Karimi Saeed , Konh Bardia
Published: July 2019

Needle-based surgical procedures for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes such as biopsy and brachytherapy has significantly contributed in minimally invasive surgeries. Percutaneous interventions demand precise navigation of surgical needles in soft tissue. Active needle steering increases the target placement accuracy, and consequently improves the clinical outcome. In this work, a novel 3D steerable active surgical needle with three Shape Memory Alloy (SMA) actuators is proposed. The actuation capabilities of SMAs were used to realize a 3D motion at the needle tip. The feasibility of 3D steerability was demonstrated through active control of multiple SMA actuators.