bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Risk Factors for Recurrence in Patients with Atypical Endometrial Hyperplasia and Endometrioid Adenocarcinoma after Fertility-Sparing Treatments
Authors: Yin Jie , Ma Shuai , Shan Ying , Wang Yongxue , Li Yan , Jin Ying , Pan Lingya
Published: February 2020

The aim of this work was to evaluate the risk factors for recurrence in young patients with atypical endometrial hyperplasia and early-stage endometrioid adenocarcinoma after fertility-sparing treatments (FST). A retrospective case–control study was designed. Patients with atypical endometrial hyperplasia and early-stage endometrioid adenocarcinoma who received FSTs from January 2010 to December 2017 were reviewed. All patients who met the inclusion criteria were divided into a recurrence group and a control group. Risk factors for recurrence- and disease-free survival were evaluated by logistic regression analysis and Cox regression analysis. A total of 127 patients were included, 53 patients in the recurrence group and 74 patients in the control group. No deaths occurred during the follow-up time. The rate of successful pregnancy was 62.5% in the control group and 20.5% in the recurrence group after complete remission (CR) of the primary disease. In a multivariate regression model, after adjusting for other factors, menstruation cycle, progestin type, and regular maintenance treatments after CR were the main risk factors for disease recurrence. Gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist was mainly used to treat obese patients and was associated with longer progression-free survival (PFS) time compared with that in patients who received high-dose oral progestin such as megestrol acetate [risk ratio (RR), 2.158; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.948–4.913]. Regular oral progestin also significantly prolonged the PFS time (RR, 4.726; 95% CI, 2.672–8.359). The progestin type used in treatment and regular maintenance treatment of young patients with atypical endometrial hyperplasia and early-stage endometrioid adenocarcinoma after CR might be correlated with disease recurrence.
First record to Brazil of one genera and seven species of Psychodidae (Diptera) with further new records for 10 countries on the Neotropics
Authors: Cordeiro Danilo Pacheco
Published: February 2020

With a big territory and variety of biomes, Brazil is one of the most diverse countries in the World, with insects massively contributing to this diversity. Although presenting impressive numbers, many groups are poorly known concerning their diversity and distribution. Also, the knowledge of the species diversity is very heterogeneous when comparing Brazilian states and regions. With a recent review of part of Lawrence Quate’s collection deposited at Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, more than 70 new geographical records for Psychodidae species were found on the Neotropics, including one genera (Eurygarka) and seven species first recorded to Brazil. The complete known distribution of these species was compiled and is presented along with new records for other 11 countries of the Neotropical region. On the Brazilian territory, most of the new records are for the state of Rondônia, on the northern region, followed by Minas Gerais, on the southeastern region.
O espaço jurídico em fins do século XIX
Authors: Bordignon Rodrigo Da Rosa , Giovanella Treicy
Published: February 2020

O presente artigo focaliza as bases sociais e as carreiras dos ministros do Supremo Tribunal Federal e dos professores das faculdades de direito em fins do século XIX, buscando analisar as relações entre estes e o espaço social em geral. No caso dos professores, foram tomados os da Faculdade de Direito de Recife, da Faculdade de Direito de São Paulo, da Faculdade Livre de Ciências Jurídicas e Sociais do Rio de Janeiro, e da Faculdade Livre de Direito do Rio de Janeiro. A partir disso, foi possível reunir informações sobre 96 agentes com o objetivo de comparar as origens sociais, as instituições de titulação, os postos iniciais e os marcadores das carreiras. Em termos gerais, os principais resultados apontam para uma aproximação entre as origens sociais e uma diferenciação na constituição das carreiras.
Access to healthcare for deaf people: a model from a middle-income country in Latin America
Authors: Fuentes-López Eduardo , Fuente Adrian
Published: February 2020

OBJECTIVE: To determine if there are existing healthcare access inequities among the deaf Chilean population when compared to the general Chilean population. METHODS: Data were obtained from a population-based national survey in Chile. In total, 745 prelingually deaf individuals were identified. The number of times the person used the healthcare system was dichotomized and analyzed using a multivariate logistic regression model. RESULTS: Prelingually deaf people had lower incomes, fewer years of education, and greater rates of unemployment and poverty when compared with the general population. Moreover, they visited more general practitioners, mental health specialists, and other medical specialists. On average, they attended more appointments for depression but had fewer general checkups and gynecological appointments than the general population. CONCLUSIONS: Deaf people in Chile have a lower socioeconomic status than the rest of the Chilean population. The results from this study are similar to the findings reported for high-income countries, despite differences in the magnitude of the associations between being deaf and healthcare access. Further studies should be conducted to determine the health status of deaf people in Chile and other Latin American countries and what factors are associated with a significantly lower prevalence of gynecological appointments among deaf women when compared with non-deaf women.
Abstract 02: Brain Regions Activation During Stress and Accelerated Biological Aging
Authors: Almuwaqqat Zakaria , Wittbrodt Matt , Nye Jonathan , Moazzami Kasra , Lima Bruno B , Shah Amit J , Blackburn Elizabeth , Zhao Jinying , Lin Jue , Sun Yan , Quyyumi Arshed A , Vaccarino Viola , Bremner J Douglas
Published: February 2020

Background:
Psychological stress is a risk factor for major adverse cardiovascular events in individuals with coronary artery disease (CAD). Accelerated biological aging, as indicated by telomere shortening, is a recognized pathway by which stress may lead to cardiovascular disease incidence and mortality. We sought to investigate brain correlates of acute psychological stress and short telomeres in men and women with CAD.

Methods:
Individuals with CAD (N = 170) underwent a validated mental stress protocol including public speaking and mental arithmetic. Imaging of the brain with [O-15] water positron emission tomography (PET) was performed during mental stress and control conditions. Telomere length in peripheral leucocytes was measured by quantitative PCR and expressed as T/S-units. Voxel-wise regression models were constructed to assess the association between brain areas and activity during rest and mental stress after adjustments for demographic factors and clinical characteristics.

Methods:
The mean (SD) age was 62 (8) years, and 69% were men. The median telomere length was 0.84 T/S-units. Increased activation with mental stress in the lingual gyrus, cerebellum and superior and inferior gyrus in the frontal lobe were associated with reduced telomere length; 1.6 higher voxel activation of the inferior frontal gyrus was associated with 0.1 T/S-units reduction in telomere length (P < 0.005). Additionally, higher resting activities of the precentral, middle and superior frontal gyri and middle temporal gyri were associated with short telomeres. Results remained consistent after adjustment for demographic and clinical risk factors.

Conclusion:
Increased resting brain activity and reactivity to mental stress within the frontal lobe is associated with short telomeres. These frontal areas may regulate biological aging at rest and in connection with stress, which may contribute to cardiovascular vulnerability.
Increased Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes Associated With Stage 1 Hypertension in a Low-Risk Cohort
Authors: Wu Dan-dan , Gao Ling , Huang Ou , Ullah Kamran , Guo Meng-xi , Liu Ye , Zhang Jian , Chen Lei , Fan Jian-xia , Sheng Jian-zhong , Lin Xian-hua , Huang He-feng
Published: February 2020

The recommendations for the diagnosis of stage 1 hypertension were recently revised by the American Heart Association primarily based on its impact on cardiovascular disease risks. Whether the newly diagnosed stage 1 hypertension impacts pregnancy complications remain poorly defined. We designed a retrospective cohort study to investigate the associations of stage 1 hypertension detected in early gestation (<20 weeks) with risks of adverse pregnancy outcomes stratified by prepregnancy body mass index. A total of 47 874 women with singleton live births and blood pressure (BP) <140/90 mm Hg were included, with 5781 identified as stage 1a (systolic BP, 130–134 mm Hg; diastolic BP, 80–84 mm Hg; or both) and 3267 as stage 1b hypertension (systolic BP, 135–139 mm Hg; diastolic BP, 85–90 mm Hg; or both). Slightly higher, yet significant, rates and risks of gestational diabetes mellitus, preterm delivery, and low birth weight (<2500 g) were observed in both groups compared with normotensive controls. Importantly, women with stage 1a and stage 1b hypertension had significantly increased incidences of hypertensive disorders in pregnancy compared with normotensive women (adjusted odds ratio, 2.34 [95% CI, 2.16–2.53]; 3.05 [2.78–3.34], respectively). After stratifying by body mass index, stage 1a and 1b hypertension were associated with increased hypertensive disorders in pregnancy risks in both normal weight (body mass index, 18.5–24.9; adjusted odds ratio, 2.44 [2.23–2.67]; 3.26 [2.93–3.63]) and the overweight/obese (body mass index, ≥25; adjusted odds ratio, 1.90 [1.56–2.31]; 2.36 [1.92–2.90]). Current findings suggested significantly increased adverse pregnancy outcomes associated with stage 1 hypertension based on the revised American Heart Association guidelines, especially in women with prepregnancy normal weight.
Changes in Stroke Volume After Renal Denervation
Authors: Lurz Philip , Kresoja Karl-Patrik , Rommel Karl-Philipp , von Roeder Maximilian , Besler Christian , Lücke Christian , Gutberlet Matthias , Schmieder Roland E. , Mahfoud Felix , Thiele Holger , Desch Steffen , Fengler Karl
Published: February 2020

Recent trial results support catheter-based renal denervation (RDN) for treatment of hypertension, while the exact mechanisms causing blood pressure to fall remain incompletely understood. Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging was used to assess the effects of RDN on cardiac function in patients with hypertension undergoing RDN and compared with sham treatment. Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging was used to assess stroke volume index, cardiac index, heart rate, systemic vascular resistance index, and stroke work index from aortic flow measurements. Patients with resistant hypertension from a randomized, sham-controlled RDN trial underwent cardiac magnetic resonance imaging before RDN and at follow-up (randomized cohort). Results were then validated in a cohort of patients with resistant hypertension undergoing RDN and cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (validation cohort). In total, 162 patients were included 52 patients in the randomized trial (27 shams) and 110 patients in the validation cohort. In the randomized cohort, stroke volume index was reduced by 4.7±9.8 mL/m
2
in the RDN cohort and remained unchanged in the sham cohort (
P
=0.008 for between-group comparison), while cardiac index and stroke work index tended to be reduced in RDN patients but not in sham patients (−0.10±5.9 versus 0.17±0.51 L/min per m
2
and −7.1±12.5 versus −1.4±10.4 g/m
2
,
P
=0.08 for both). In contrast, systemic vascular resistance index and heart rate remained unchanged after RDN. In the validation cohort, reduction of stroke volume index was confirmed, and cardiac index and stroke work index were also reduced significantly, whereas systemic vascular resistance index and heart rate remained unchanged at follow-up. In this study of patients with resistant hypertension, RDN resulted in a reduction of stroke volume when compared with sham.
Screening Rates for Primary Aldosteronism in Resistant Hypertension
Authors: Jaffe Gilad , Gray Zachary , Krishnan Gomathi , Stedman Margaret , Zheng Yuanchao , Han Jialin , Chertow Glenn M. , Leppert John T. , Bhalla Vivek
Published: February 2020

Resistant hypertension is associated with higher rates of cardiovascular disease, kidney disease, and death than primary hypertension. Although clinical practice guidelines recommend screening for primary aldosteronism among persons with resistant hypertension, rates of screening are unknown. We identified 145 670 persons with hypertension and excluded persons with congestive heart failure or advanced chronic kidney disease. Among this cohort, we studied 4660 persons ages 18 to <90 from the years 2008 to 2014 with resistant hypertension and available laboratory tests within the following 24 months. The screening rate for primary aldosteronism in persons with resistant hypertension was 2.1%. Screened persons were younger (55.9±13.3 versus 65.5±11.6 years;
P
<0.0001) and had higher systolic (145.1±24.3 versus 139.6±20.5 mm Hg;
P
=0.04) and diastolic blood pressure (81.8±13.6 versus 74.4±13.8 mm Hg;
P
<0.0001), lower rates of coronary artery disease (5.2% versus 14.2%;
P
=0.01), and lower serum potassium concentrations (3.9±0.6 versus 4.1±0.5 mmol/L;
P
=0.04) than unscreened persons. Screened persons had significantly higher rates of prescription for calcium channel blockers, mixed α/β-adrenergic receptor antagonists, sympatholytics, and vasodilators, and lower rates of prescription for loop, thiazide, and thiazide-type diuretics. The prescription of mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists or other potassium-sparing diuretics was not significantly different between groups (
P
=0.20). In conclusion, only 2.1% of eligible persons received a screening test within 2 years of meeting criteria for resistant hypertension. Low rates of screening were not due to the prescription of antihypertensive medications that may potentially interfere with interpretation of the screening test. Efforts to highlight guideline-recommended screening and targeted therapy are warranted.
Aspirin Reduces the Potentiating Effect of CD40L on Platelet Aggregation via Inhibition of Myosin Light Chain
Authors: Kojok Kevin , Mohsen Mira , El Kadiry Abed El Hakim , Mourad Walid , Merhi Yahye
Published: February 2020

Background

Antiplatelet therapy with aspirin (acetylsalicylic acid [ASA]) is less efficient in some coronary patients, which increases their risk of developing thrombosis. Elevated blood levels of thromboinflammatory mediators, like soluble CD40L (sCD40L), may explain such variabilities. We hypothesized that in the presence of elevated levels of
sCD
40L, the efficacy of
ASA
may vary and aimed to determine the effects of
ASA
on
CD
40L signaling and aggregation of platelets.

Methods and Results

The effects of
ASA
on
CD
40L‐treated human platelets, in response to suboptimal concentrations of collagen or thrombin, were assessed at levels of aggregation, thromboxane A
2
secretion, and phosphorylation of p38 mitogen‐activated protein kinase, nuclear factor kappa B, transforming growth factor‐β–activated kinase 1, and myosin light chain.
sCD
40L significantly elevated thromboxane A
2
secretion in platelets in response to suboptimal doses of collagen and thrombin, which was reversed by
ASA
.
ASA
did not inhibit the phosphorylation of p38 mitogen‐activated protein kinase, nuclear factor kappa B, and transforming growth factor‐β–activated kinase 1, with
sCD
40L stimulation alone or with platelet agonists.
sCD
40L potentiated platelet aggregation, an effect completely reversed and partially reduced by
ASA
in response to a suboptimal dose of collagen and thrombin, respectively. The effects of
ASA
in
sCD
40L‐treated platelets with collagen were related to inhibition of platelet shape change and myosin light chain phosphorylation.

Conclusions

ASA
does not affect platelet
sCD
40L signaling but prevents its effect on thromboxane A
2
secretion and platelet aggregation in response to collagen, via a mechanism implying inhibition of myosin light chain. Targeting the sCD40L axis in platelets may have a therapeutic potential in patients with elevated levels of
sCD
40L and who are nonresponsive or less responsive to ASA.
Risk of Stroke in Patients With Atrial Fibrillation Is Associated With Stroke in Siblings: A Nationwide Study
Authors: Berntsson John , Li Xinjun , Zöller Bengt , Martinsson Andreas , Andell Pontus , Lubitz Steven A. , Engström Gunnar , Sundquist Kristina , Smith J. Gustav
Published: February 2020

Background

It remains unclear whether heritable factors can contribute to risk stratification for ischemic stroke in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). We examined whether having a sibling with ischemic stroke was associated with increased risk of ischemic stroke and mortality in patients with
AF
.

Methods and Results

In this nationwide study of the Swedish population, patients with AF and their siblings were identified from the Swedish patient registers and the Swedish MGR (Multi‐Generation Register). Ischemic stroke events were retrieved from the Swedish patient registers and CDR (Cause of Death Register). Risk of ischemic stroke was compared between patients with AF with and without a sibling affected by ischemic stroke,
AF
, or both ischemic stroke and
AF
. The total study population comprised 113 988 subjects (mean age, 60±12 years) diagnosed with
AF
between 1989 and 2012. In total, 11 709 of them were diagnosed with a first ischemic stroke and 20 097 died during a mean follow‐up time of 5.5 years for ischemic stroke and 5.9 years for mortality. After adjustment for covariates having a sibling with ischemic stroke, or both ischemic stroke and
AF
, was associated with increased risk of ischemic stroke (hazard ratio, 1.31; 95% CI, 1.23–1.40 or hazard ratio, 1.36; 95%
CI
, 1.24–1.49, respectively). Furthermore, ischemic stroke in a sibling was associated with all‐cause mortality (hazard ratio, 1.09; 95%
CI
, 1.05–1.14). In contrast, the risk of stroke was only marginally increased for patients with AF with a spouse affected by ischemic stroke.

Conclusions

Having a sibling affected by ischemic stroke confers an increased risk of ischemic stroke and death independently of traditional risk factors in patients with AF.
Native Species of Sapotaceae Juss. in Paraná, Brazil

Authors: VÖLTZ RAFAEL R. , ALVES-ARAÚJO ANDERSON , GOLDENBERG RENATO
Published: February 2020

Sapotaceae is a large family of angiosperms which has predominantly tree species, and worldwide distribution in subtropical and tropical regions. The Neotropics are one of the greatest centers of diversity of Sapotaceae, and in Brazil, the family comprises 12 genera and 234 species, of which 103 species are endemic. We present here a taxonomic treatment for the native species of Sapotaceae from the State of Paraná, with an identification key, descriptions, geographic distribution, phenology, illustrations, and current conservation status for all taxa. Twenty-two species were documented in Paraná, belonging to seven genera. The richest genus was Pouteria with 11 species, followed by Chrysophyllum with five species and Pradosia with two species. The genera Diploon, Ecclinusa, Manilkara, and Sideroxylon have only one species each. Pouteria guianensis and Pouteria ramiflora are new records for the state. The Atlantic Rain Forest is the richest vegetation type with six genera and 13 species, followed by the Seasonal Forest with three genera and nine species. The Araucaria Forest and Cerrado have two genera each, the former with three species and the latter with two species. Out of 22 species, one has been mentioned as endangered (EN), one is vulnerable (VU), one is near threatened (NT), nine are least concern (LC), and ten have not been evaluated (NE).
A Prolonged High-Salinity Event in the Northern Arabian Sea during 2014–17
Authors: Zhang Yuhong , Du Yan , Jayarathna W. N. D. S , Sun Qiwei , Zhang Ying , Yao Fengchao , Feng Ming
Published: February 2020

A prolonged high-salinity event in the northern Arabian Sea, to the east of the Gulf of Oman, during 2014–17 was identified based on Argo datasets. The prolonged event was manifested as enhanced spreading of the surface Arabian Sea high-salinity water and the intermediate Persian Gulf water. We used satellite altimetric data and geostrophic current data to understand the oceanic processes and the salt budget associated with the high-salinity event. The results indicated that the strengthened high-salinity advection from the Gulf of Oman was one of the main causes of the salinity increase in the northern Arabian Sea. The changes of the seasonally dependent eddies near the mouth of the Gulf of Oman dominated the strengthened high-salinity advection during the event as compared with the previous 4-yr period: the westward shifted cyclonic eddy during early winter stretched to the remote western Gulf of Oman, which carried the higher-salinity water to the northern Arabian Sea along the south coast of the Gulf. An anomalous eddy dipole during early summer intensified the eastward Ras Al Hadd Jet and its high-salinity advection into the northern Arabian Sea. In addition, the weakened low-salinity advection by coastal currents along the Omani coast caused by the weakened southwest monsoon contributed to the maintenance of the high-salinity event. This prolonged high-salinity event reflects the upper-ocean responses to the monsoon change and may affect the regional hydrography and biogeochemistry extensively.
Antitrust’s Neglected Question: Who Is “The Consumer”?
Authors: Beaton-Wells Caron
Published: February 2020

In a period when debate about the goals, scope, and effectiveness of antitrust policy and law is flourishing, it is timely to revisit the fundamental question of whose interests these instruments are intended to protect. In considering whether antitrust’s primary concern should be with consumer welfare, few have paused to consider the nature of consumer identity other than through the narrow economic prism of the purchase and use of goods and services. However, consumers are not mere choosers of offerings in the market place, an identity itself riven by complexity and contradiction. Consumers act also as citizens and workers in markets. Recognition of the multifaceted and indivisible character of consumer identity promotes a richer more sophisticated approach to defining and applying a consumer welfare standard. The case for such an approach is illuminated in the context of the new economy in which the interests of consumer-citizens and consumer-workers are directly implicated by the challenges facing competition in digital markets.
APA-Style Citations Can Create a Roadblock to Textbook Comprehension for Less Skilled Readers
Authors: Stiegler-Balfour Jennifer J. , Jakobsen Krisztina V. , Stroud Michael J. , Daniel David B.
Published: February 2020

We examined the effect of in-text American Psychological Association (APA)-style citations on quiz performance as a function of structure building ability, measured by the Multi-Media Comprehension Battery. Participants were randomly assigned to either APA or no citation conditions and asked to read an expository text followed by a comprehension quiz. Less skilled structure builders performed significantly lower on a comprehension quiz and read faster in the APA citation compared to the no citation condition. In contrast, skilled structure builders performed equally well on the comprehension quiz but had to reduce their reading speed in the APA citation condition. The results challenge the utility of in-text APA citations in textbooks targeted at general populations of students, particularly for moderate to poor comprehenders.
Effect of Basic Fibroblast Growth Factor on Perforated Chinchilla Tympanic Membranes
Authors: Friedman Norman R. , Wright Charles G. , Pawlowski Karen S. , Meyerhoff William L.
Published: February 2020

Basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) is a polypeptide mitogen which stimulates proliferation of epidermal and connective tissue cells. When applied to tympanic membrane perforations it has been reported to enhance healing and produce connective tissue hyperplasia. Previous work with animal models has shown that hyperplastic alterations of the tympanic membrane play an essential role in cholesteatoma development. This study was designed to further investigate the hyperplastic effects of bFGF and to determine if it might induce cholesteatoma formation during the healing process.

Ten chinchillas received bilateral tympanic membrane perforations. In each animal, three doses of bFGF (400 nanograms per dose) were applied to the perforated tympanic membrane on one side; the opposite (control) ear received saline alone. The animals were terminated at either two or four weeks and studied histologically.

Although the dosage and administration schedule used were consistent with previous studies utilizing other rodent species, there was little evidence that bFGF affected tympanic membrane healing in chinchillas. In both control and bFGF-treated ears, dense connective tissue occupied the lamina propria of the tympanic membrane, providing an effective barrier against ingrowth of skin toward the middle ear. No cholesteatomas developed in any animals included in the study.

The results of this work indicate that the risk of cholesteatoma formation following administration of bFGF is minimal when it is applied short-term to acute perforations.
Jubilee in the Bible
Authors: Sanders James A.
Published: February 2020

The concept of the Jubilee, or the collective forgiveness of all debts and debtor/slaves, had its origins in the Ancient Near East where it was a secular practice of kings. It came into the Bible originally also as a secular practice of kings but then became the province of priests and a calendar observance to be celebrated every 50 years. It was finally understood in the Dead Sea Scrolls and the New Testament to rest in the hands of God alone, an eschatological concept of the forgiveness of all debts/sins and the redemption of all human sins, or debts to God, that became the very basis of the theological history of Luke/Acts.
Jesus’s Social Network and the Four Gospels: Exploring the Relational Dynamics of the Gospels Using Social Network Analysis
Authors: McClure Jennifer M.
Published: February 2020

Building on recent studies of Jesus’s social network, this article seeks to explore how the relational dynamics surrounding Jesus’s life and ministry are depicted differently in the canonical Gospels. Using different perspectives and methods than those usually employed by biblical scholars, the network analyses provide rich illustrations and descriptions of structural dynamics that have not traditionally been the focus of Gospel scholarship. Analyses examine the extent to which the Gospels’ social networks overlap, as well as differences in levels of relational prominence and in relational structures across the Gospels. The results provide a unique window into the relational dynamics portrayed by the Gospels, producing a variety of insights, some which may not surprise biblical scholars but others which hopefully will inspire further consideration.
Austerity, Struggle, and Union Democracy: Bill 115 and the Ontario Secondary School Teachers’ Federation, an Insider View
Authors: Mancini Chantal
Published: February 2020

In 2012, unions representing teachers and education workers in Ontario, Canada, were faced with Bill 115, legislation used by the provincial government to impose a collective agreement upon education workers and remove their right to strike. With a specific focus on the Ontario Secondary School Teachers’ Federation, this paper is an insider view of how Bill 115 and the external political contexts of the time affected Ontario Secondary School Teachers’ Federation’s internal democratic practices at the height of the struggle. It employs theories of union democracy in order to consider how external forces can shape teacher unions’ internal democracy, and how the competing pressures faced by union leaders can impact their actions and decisions. This paper takes the view that internal union democracy is an important consideration in teacher unions’ resistance to government austerity agendas.
A qualitative–quantitative study of science mapping by different algorithms: The Polish journals landscape
Authors: Osinska Veslava
Published: February 2020

By applying different clustering algorithms, the author strived to construct the best visual representation of scientific domains and disciplines in Poland. Journals and their disciplinary categories constituted a data set. A comparative analysis of maps was based on both qualitative and quantitative approaches. Complex patterns of eight maps were evaluated taking into account both the local proximity of disciplines and the whole structure of presented domains. Final clustering quality value was introduced and calculated in reference to the knowledge domains. The authors underlined the role of quantitative and qualitative methods in combination in the mapping evaluation. The best results were obtained with the T-distributed stochastic neighbour embedding (t-SNE) algorithm. This youngest technique may have the biggest potential for semantic information studies and in the scope of broadly understood semantic solutions.
Recruiting Research Participants via Traditional Snowball vs Facebook Advertisements and a Website
Authors: Chambers Megan , Bliss Katherine , Rambur Betty
Published: February 2020

This article describes the use of Facebook, a website targeting nurses, and snowball sampling for recruitment of registered nurse participants in a qualitative study exploring measurement-driven clinical behavior and metric-driven harm. Previous studies suggest that social media can be a successful and cost-effective sampling strategy, increasing the numbers of participants, their diversity, and their representativeness of the population of interest. This study, however, found traditional snowball sampling to be far more effective than advertisements via Facebook and a professional website. Lessons learned are detailed, including cost and technical issues encountered. Suggestions for nurse researchers considering using Facebook for participant recruitment are described. Methodological research that could enhance the empirical-base supporting effective social media recruitment of research participants is offered for consideration by nurse researchers.
Strategies for the implementation of palliative care education and organizational interventions in long-term care facilities: A scoping review
Authors: Collingridge Moore Danni , Payne Sheila , Van den Block Lieve , Ling Julie , Froggatt Katherine , Gatsolaeva Yuliana , Honinx Elisabeth , Pivodic Lara , Miranda Rose , Onwuteaka-Philipsen Bregje D. , van Hout Hein , Pasman H. Roeline W. , Oosterveld-Vlug Mariska , Ten Koppel Maud , Piers Ruth , Van Den Noortgate Nele , Engels Yvonne , Vernooij-Dassen Myrra , Hockley Jo , Szczerbińska Katarzyna , Kylänen Marika , Gambassi Giovanni , Pautex Sophie , Bassal Catherine , Deliens Luc , Smets Tinne , Adang Eddy , Andreasen Paula , Barańska Ilona , Finne-Soveri Harriet , Hammar Teija , Heikkilä Rauha , Kijowska Violetta , Leppäaho Suvi , Mammarella Federica , Mercuri Martina , Kuitunen-Kaija Outi , Pac Agnieszka , Morgan de Paula Emilie , Rossi Paola , Segat Ivan , Sowerby Eleanor , van der Steen Jenny T. , Stodolska Agata , Tanghe Marc , Wichmann Anne B.
Published: February 2020

Background:

The number of older people dying in long-term care facilities is increasing; however, care at the end of life can be suboptimal. Interventions to improve palliative care delivery within these settings have been shown to be effective in improving care, but little is known about their implementation.

Aim:

The aim of this study was to describe the nature of implementation strategies and to identify facilitators and/or barriers to implementing palliative care interventions in long-term care facilities.

Design:

Scoping review with a thematic synthesis, following the ENTREQ guidelines.

Data sources:

Published literature was identified from electronic databases, including MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO and CINAHL. Controlled, non-controlled and qualitative studies and evaluations of interventions to improve palliative care in long-term care facilities were included. Studies that met the inclusion criteria were sourced and data extracted on the study characteristics, the implementation of the intervention, and facilitators and/or barriers to implementation.

Results:

The review identified 8902 abstracts, from which 61 studies were included in the review. A matrix of implementation was developed with four implementation strategies (facilitation, education/training, internal engagement and external engagement) and three implementation stages (conditions to introduce the intervention, embedding the intervention within day-to-day practice and sustaining ongoing change).

Conclusion:

Incorporating an implementation strategy into the development and delivery of an intervention is integral in embedding change in practice. The review has shown that the four implementation strategies identified varied considerably across interventions; however, similar facilitators and barriers were encountered across the studies identified. Further research is needed to understand the extent to which different implementation strategies can facilitate the uptake of palliative care interventions in long-term care facilities.
Profile of repeat victimisation within multi-agency referrals
Authors: Shorrock Sarah , McManus Michelle A , Kirby Stuart
Published: February 2020

To help reduce victimisation, safeguarding practices in England and Wales are becoming more multi-agency, with Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hubs (MASH) being a contemporary example of such an approach. MASH aims to reduce victimisation by identifying and managing vulnerability at the earliest opportunity. This is achieved through the co-location of safeguarding agencies, joint decision making and the co-ordination of interventions. Previous research has indicated that the demand placed upon MASH often outweighs available resources, questioning the extent to which MASH effectively safeguards vulnerable people at the earliest opportunity. Whilst existing literature has focused upon the characteristics of MASH referrals, alongside referral processes, rates of repeat referrals have been overlooked. This paper aims to bridge this gap by exploring the number of repeat referrals made over a two-month period to a MASH location in the north-west of England ( n = 2,134). By investigating repeat referrals, reasons why some individuals are susceptible to being victimised on multiple occasions are identified. The paper concludes that whilst MASH has taken a step towards identifying and managing victimisation, practices and processes need to be reviewed if MASH is to proactively prevent repeat victimisation.
Ultrasound, shear-wave elastography, and magnetic resonance imaging in native liver survivor patients with biliary atresia after Kasai portoenterostomy: correlation with medical outcome after treatment
Authors: Caruso Martina , Cuocolo Renato , Di Dato Fabiola , Mollica Carmine , Vallone Gianfranco , Romeo Valeria , Petretta Mario , Liuzzi Raffaele , Mainenti Pier Paolo , Iorio Raffaele , Brunetti Arturo , Maurea Simone
Published: February 2020

Background

Biliary atresia (BA) is a rare obliterative cholangiopathy and Kasai portoenterostomy (KP) represents its first-line treatment; clinical and laboratory parameters together with abdominal ultrasound (US) are usually performed during the follow-up. Shear-wave elastography (SWE) is able to evaluate liver parenchyma stiffness; magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has also been proposed to study these patients.

Purpose

To correlate US, SWE, and MRI imaging findings with medical outcome in patients with BA who are native liver survivors after KP.

Material and Methods

We retrospectively enrolled 24 patients. They were divided in two groups based on “ideal” (n = 15) or “non-ideal” (n = 9) medical outcome. US, SWE, and MRI exams were analyzed qualitatively and quantitatively for imaging signs suggestive of chronic liver disease (CLD).

Results

Significant differences were found in terms of liver surface ( P = 0.007) and morphology ( P = 0.013), portal vein diameter ( P = 0.012) and spleen size ( P = 0.002) by US, liver signal intensity ( P = 0.013), portal vein diameter ( P = 0.010), presence of portosystemic collaterals ( P = 0.042), and spleen size ( P = 0.001) by MRI. The evaluation of portal vein diameter (moderate, κ = 0.44), of portosystemic collaterals (good, κ = 0.78), and spleen size (very good, κ = 0.92) showed the best agreement between US and MRI. A significant ( P = 0.01) difference in liver parenchyma stiffness by SWE was also found between the two groups (cut-off = 9.6 kPa, sensitivity = 55.6%, specificity = 100%, area under the ROC curve = 0.82).

Conclusion

US, SWE, and MRI findings correlate with the medical outcome in native liver survivor patients with BA treated with KP.
Brexit: Who is afraid of group attachment? Part I. Europe: What Europe?
Authors: Ezquerro Arturo
Published: February 2020

This article tries to make sense of Brexit, or otherwise, from a group attachment perspective. It provides a historical analysis of the fluctuating and highly ambivalent relationship of the United Kingdom (UK) with the European Union (EU), so far the most ambitious supranational and transnational group project in the world. But the EU has failed to keep up with some of its founding principles of openness, solidarity and compassion, in the handling of immigration—which has been the most determinant factor in the Brexit vote of June 2016, against a background of financial and migratory crises, as well as unacceptable inequality, nostalgia of sovereign British Empire and rise of English nationalism. The article aims to engage the reader to explore with the author some of the complexity of Brexit thinking and feeling, in the context of a developing EU.
Fiscal weakness, the (under-) provision of public services, and institutional reform
Authors: Oechslin Manuel , Rodriguez Mauricio
Published: February 2020

The fact that many developing countries spend little on growth-promoting public services is often blamed on “fiscal weakness”. We propose a novel framework to study the consequences of an exogenous improvement in public revenues. We demonstrate that higher revenues may induce the group in power to use a dual repression approach, one pillar of which is to aggravate the “underspending” on growth-promoting public services. However, we also identify circumstances in which the group in power will abstain from repression and instead opt for institutional reform. This result contrasts with the view that exogenous revenue improvements necessarily undercut growth-promoting institutions.

JEL classification: D70; O11; F53; H50; Q34
Fish scale/poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) nanofibrous composite scaffolds for bone regeneration
Authors: Kara Aylin , Gunes Oylum C , Albayrak Aylin Z , Bilici Gokcen , Erbil Guven , Havitcioglu Hasan
Published: February 2020

The aim of this study was to produce three-dimensional, nanofibrous fish scale/poly(3-hydroxybutyrate- co-3-hydroxyvalerate) composite scaffolds as bone filling materials. This is the first report wherein fish scales were used within a nanofibrous matrix for bone regeneration. Composite scaffolds with a cotton wool-like structure (fiber diameter: 560 ± 64 nm; porosity: 82%) were obtained by incorporating chopped fish scales into wet-electrospun poly(3-hydroxybutyrate- co-3-hydroxyvalerate) nanofibers and freeze-drying. The addition of the fish scales improved the mechanical properties, biomineralization tendency, cell viability, alkaline phosphatase activity, and type I collagen production. Consequently, produced composite scaffolds would be regarded to have the therapeutic capacity in bone tissue damages.
Career Goals and Internship Quality Among VET Students
Authors: Gamboa Vítor , Paixão Maria Paula , da Silva José Tomás , Taveira Maria do Céu
Published: February 2020

Given the increased self-directedness of todays’ career environment, career goals represent to some extent the exercise of individual agency, particularly during ecological transitions (e.g., school to work). The main purpose of this study was to analyze the relationship between internship quality and career exploration behavior, considering students’ career goals content (labor market vs. higher education). Using a longitudinal design (pre- and post-internship), we conducted a study (12th grade; N = 191) that explores the relationship between perceived qualities of the internship and the different dimensions of career exploration. Analysis of variance and analysis of covariance, with repeated measures, were used to analyze the data. The results reinforce the importance of career goals, since they seem to have a differentiating effect on how the quality of the internship interacts with students’ career exploration behavior. Finally, the implications of these findings for career interventions and for future research in this area are discussed.
Traditional Chinese Medicine: A Qualitative Study for Reconsidering Nursing Care in the United States
Authors: Conroy Shelley F. , Hastings-Tolsma Marie , Voreis Kathryn , Deboskey Hannah
Published: February 2020

Purpose: Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) proposes the world as a holistic unity of energy. With a long history of use, TCM is generally accepted in the Chinese health care system. Despite growing global interest and use, TCM has received a mixed response from Western health care systems. This study aimed to describe the underpinnings of TCM, compare TCM and Western medicine, and suggest how key modalities might be applied to strengthen holistic nursing care in the United States. Design: A qualitative, descriptive exploratory investigation employing a constructivist grounded theory. Method: Interview of TCM healers in Hong Kong ( n = 5). Transcripts were reviewed to identify common themes and categories. Findings: Five themes were identified: improvement in energy flow and health, TCM as “a way of knowing,” curing source versus symptoms of disease, declining TCM practice in Hong Kong, and need for interprofessional education. Conclusions: TCM is considered useful in chronic illnesses, whereas those with acute illnesses often seek Western medicine. Failing to address the holistic care needs and preferences of individuals results in less than optimal health outcomes. Nurses need explicit TCM content and would benefit from a restructuring of curricula and clinical experiences to foster integration into caring practices.
NIMBYism, waste incineration, and environmental governance in China
Authors: Huang Xiaodu , Yang Dali L.
Published: February 2020

With the world’s largest population and rapid urbanization, China is in the throes of a waste management crisis. Efforts to cope with this crisis through waste incineration have been met with growing NIMBYism as the Chinese public become more environmentally aware and are determined to protect their health and economic interests. We review the turn to incineration and the major characteristics of NIMBYism and ensuing protests against waste incinerators. We then describe the May 2014 Jiufeng incinerator protest in Hangzhou and the subsequent efforts to successfully respond to NIMBYist protests and build the proposed incineration plant on the planned site. The Hangzhou Jiufeng case offers a model for breaking the logjam between development and NIMBYism, leading to important improvements in environmental governance and regulation.
Tactical driving decisions of unmanned ground vehicles in complex highway environments: A deep reinforcement learning approach
Authors: Wang Huanjie , Yuan Shihua , Guo Mengyu , Chan Ching-Yao , Li Xueyuan , Lan Wei
Published: February 2020

In this study, a deep reinforcement learning approach is proposed to handle tactical driving in complex highway traffic environments for unmanned ground vehicles. Tactical driving is a challenging topic for unmanned ground vehicles because of its interplay with routing decisions as well as real-time traffic dynamics. The core of our deep reinforcement learning approach is a deep Q-network that takes dynamic traffic information as input and outputs typical tactical driving decisions as action. The reward is designed with the consideration of successful highway exit, average traveling speed, and driving safety and comfort. In order to endow an unmanned ground vehicle with situational traffic information that is critical for tactical driving, the vehicle’s sensor information such as vehicle position and velocity are further augmented through the assessment of the ego-vehicle’s collision risk, potential field, and kinematics and used as input for the deep Q-network model. A convolutional neural network is built and fine-tuned to extract traffic features which facilitate the decision-making process of Q-learning. For model training and testing, a highway simulation platform is constructed with realistic parameter settings obtained from a real-world highway traffic dataset. The performance of the deep Q-network model is validated with extensive simulation experiments under different parameter settings such as traffic density and risk level. The results exhibit the important potentials of our deep Q-network model in learning challenging tactical driving decisions given multiple objectives and complex traffic environment.
The Neural Basis of Religious Cognition
Authors: Grafman Jordan , Cristofori Irene , Zhong Wanting , Bulbulia Joseph
Published: February 2020

Religion’s neural underpinnings have long been a topic of speculation and debate, but an emerging neuroscience of religion is beginning to clarify which regions of the brain integrate moral, ritual, and supernatural religious beliefs with functionally adaptive responses. Here, we review evidence indicating that religious cognition involves a complex interplay among the brain regions underpinning cognitive control, social reasoning, social motivations, and ideological beliefs.
Effects of Video-Based Information Provision Using a Smart Pad on Patients Undergoing Bone Marrow Biopsy
Authors: Lee Seung Hee , Kim Chul-Gyu , Han Hye Sook , Kwon Jihyun , Roh So Youen , Shin Beom Jin
Published: February 2020

The purpose is to determine the effect of video-based information provision using a smart pad on uncertainty, anxiety, physiological parameters, pain, and educational satisfaction among patients hospitalized for a bone marrow biopsy. This study was done with a pre-/posttest nonequivalent control group design. The subjects were 65 patients in the hematology-oncology ward of a university hospital in Cheongju, South Korea, who underwent a bone marrow biopsy between August 2017 and May 2018. Thirty volunteers were allocated to the control group and 35 volunteers to the intervention group. The experimental group showed significantly lower uncertainty and significantly greater satisfaction with education than did the control group. No significant difference was observed in anxiety, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, pulse, and pain. Video-based information provision using a smart pad was effective for lowering uncertainty among patients receiving a bone marrow biopsy, as well as for boosting their sense of educational satisfaction.