bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Methodology for multiscale design and optimization of lattice core sandwich structures for lightweight hopper railcars
Authors: Molavitabrizi Danial , Laliberte Jeremy
Published: April 2020

This research is focused on developing new lightweight structures for railcars based on a pre-selected material, i.e. Al 2099. The goal is to design a new sandwich structure with an octet truss lattice core for a floor panel of a hopper freight railcar designed to meet North American standards. For that, mesoscale to macroscale design of the sandwich panel was performed. In mesoscale design, relative density, elastic properties, strength properties, and failure criterion of the lattice unit cell were investigated. In the next step, these properties were used as inputs for macroscale design, i.e. design of the whole sandwich structure. Multiple failure modes associated with the lateral loading of a sandwich panel were analyzed. These equations in conjunction with the minimum weight target led to an optimization problem, and the minimum required thicknesses were obtained. Finally, the new optimized design was validated by comparing different finite element simulations with the exact analytical equations. By using this type of structure, a 53% weight reduction was achieved on the floor panel which ultimately led to an estimated 12.5% reduction in the weight of the whole freight railcar body.
Higher-Level Meta-Adaptation Mitigates Visual Distortions Produced by Lower-Level Adaptation
Authors: Liu Xinyu , Engel Stephen A.
Published: April 2020

The visual system adapts to the environment, changing neural responses to aid efficiency and improve perception. However, these changes sometimes lead to negative consequences: If neurons at later processing stages fail to account for adaptation at earlier stages, perceptual errors result, including common visual illusions. These negative effects of adaptation have been termed the coding catastrophe. How does the visual system resolve them? We hypothesized that higher-level adaptation can correct errors arising from the coding catastrophe by changing what appears normal, a common form of adaptation across domains. Observers ( N = 15) viewed flickering checkerboards that caused a normal face to appear distorted. We tested whether the visual system can adapt to this adaptation-distorted face through repeated viewing. Results from two experiments show that such meta-adaptation does occur and that it makes the distorted face gradually appear more normal. Meta-adaptation may be a general strategy to correct negative consequences of low-level adaptation.
Moral dilemmas involving anthropological and ethical dimensions in healthcare curriculum
Authors: Macpherson Ignacio , Roqué María Victoria , Segarra Ignacio
Published: April 2020

Background

Currently a variety of novel scenarios have appeared within nursing practice such as confidentiality of a patient victim of abuse, justice in insolvent patients, poorly informed consent delivery, non-satisfactory medicine outputs, or the possibility to reject a recommended treatment. These scenarios presuppose skills that are not usually acquired during the degree. Thus, the implementation of teaching approaches that promote the acquisition of these skills in the nursing curriculum is increasingly relevant.

Objective

The article analyzes an academic model which integrates in the curriculum a series of specific theoretical concepts together with practical skills to acquire the basic ethic assessment competency.

Research design

The project includes designing two subjects, General Anthropology and Ethics-Bioethics, with an applied approach in the nursing curriculum. The sequential structure of the curriculum in both subjects is constituted by three learning domains (theoretical, practical, and communicative) with different educational strategies.

Ethical considerations

No significant ethical considerations as this is a discussion paper.

Findings

The model was structured from the anthropology’s concepts and decision-making process, applied to real situations. The structure of the three domains theoretical–practical–communicative is present in each session.

Discussion

It is observed that theoretical domain fosters the capacity for critical analysis and subsequent ability to judge diverse situations. The practical domain reflected two significant difficulties: students’ resistance to internalizing moral problems and the tendency to superficial criticism. The communicative domain has frequently shown that the conflicting points are in the principles to be applied.

Conclusion

We conclude that this design achieves its objectives and may provide future nursing professionals with ethical competences especially useful in healthcare practice. The three domains of the presented scheme are associated with the same process used in decision making at individual levels, where the exercise of clinical prudence acquires particular relevance.
Capitalism after communism: The triumph of neoliberalism, nationalist reaction and waiting for the leftist wave
Authors: Żuk Piotr , Toporowski Jan
Published: April 2020

Was neoliberal capitalism the only possible development path in Eastern Europe after the collapse of real socialism? How did the restoration of capitalism in the former Eastern bloc affect the economic and political situation in the world? Is the support of workers and lower classes for right-wing populists that has been observed in Eastern Europe for the past 30 years since the fall of the Berlin Wall a permanent phenomenon? By asking these questions, the authors point out that the offensive of the far right began in Europe before the 2015 migration crisis and the 2008 financial crisis, and that it coincided with the weakening of leftist workers’ parties. This process began in the 1990s after the collapse of the Eastern bloc. What can stop this process and change the situation? The solution is to show that another model is still possible: greater egalitarianism, democracy and the rule of law. This sociopolitical alternative, however, must simultaneously oppose two powerful forces: neoliberal capitalism and nationalist populism.
Numerical verification of variable friction cladding connection for multihazard mitigation
Authors: Gong Yongqiang , Cao Liang , Laflamme Simon , Ricles James , Quiel Spencer , Taylor Douglas
Published: April 2020

The motion of cladding systems can be leveraged to mitigate natural and man-made hazards. The literature counts various examples of connections enhanced with passive energy dissipation capabilities at connections. However, because such devices are passive, their mitigation performance is typically limited to specific excitations. The authors have recently proposed a novel variable friction cladding connection capable of mitigating hazards semi-actively. The variable friction cladding connection is engineered to transfer lateral forces from the cladding element to the structural system. Its variation in friction force is generated by a toggle-actuated variable normal force applied onto sliding friction plates. In this study, a multiobjective motion-based design methodology integrating results from the previous work is proposed to leverage the variable friction cladding connection for nonsimultaneous wind, seismic, and blast hazard mitigation. The procedure starts with the quantification of each hazard and performance objectives. It is followed by the selection of dynamic parameters enabling prescribed performance under wind and seismic loads, after which an impact rubber bumper is designed to satisfy motion requirements under blast. Last, the peak building responses are computed and iterations conducted on the design parameters on the satisfaction of the motion objectives. The motion-based design procedure is verified through numerical simulations on two example buildings subjected to the three nonsimultaneous hazards. The performance of the variable friction cladding connection is also assessed and compared against different control cases. Results show that the motion-based design procedure yields a conservative design approach in meeting all of the motion requirements and that the variable friction cladding connection performs significantly well at mitigating vibrations.
A novel homozygous frameshift variant in the cellular retinaldehyde-binding protein 1 (RLBP1) gene causes retinitis punctata albescens
Authors: Torres-Costa Sónia , Ferreira Carla Sofia , Grangeia Ana , Santos-Silva Renato , Brandão Elisete , Estrela-Silva Sérgio , Falcão-Reis Fernando
Published: April 2020

Background

Retinitis punctata albescens is a form of retinitis pigmentosa characterized by white fleck-like deposits in the fundus, in most cases caused by pathogenic variants in RLBP1 gene. The purpose of this work is to report the phenotypic and genotypic data of a patient with retinitis punctata albescens carrying a deletion in the RLBP1 gene.

Results

An 8-year-old Caucasian female has been complaining of nyctalopia for the last 2 years. No other ocular symptoms were present. No relevant past medical or familiar history was described. At clinical examination, the patient’s best-corrected visual acuity was 20/20 in both eyes. Anterior segment evaluation and intraocular pressure were normal in both eyes. At fundoscopy, multiple punctate whitish-yellow fleck-like lesions were observed in the proximity of temporal superior and inferior vascular arcades. Scotopic electroretinogram demonstrated severely reduced rod response, without improvement or recovery of rod system function after prolonged dark adaptation. Blood DNA samples of this patient and from her parents were screened for causal variants in RLBP1, RDH5, and PRPH2.

Conclusion

A probable pathogenic frameshift variant was identified in homozygosity in the RLBP1 gene with an autosomal recessive transmission as another cause of retinitis punctata albescens. This DNA variant will aid ongoing functional studies and add to our understanding of the molecular pathology about RLBP1-associated retinopathies.
Fast and sustained healing of resistant corneal ulcers using corneal scrubbing and matrix regenerating therapy
Authors: Lazreg Sihem , Labetoulle Marc , Renault Didier , Baudouin Christophe
Published: April 2020

Aim

The aim of this study was to assess the efficacy and safety of corneal scrubbing associated with matrix regenerating agent on corneal wound healing in patients with persistent corneal ulcers.

Methods

This was a retrospective case study in patients with difficult-to-treat corneal ulcer. Corneal scrubbing was performed with a sterile dry cotton bud to eliminate damaged epithelial cells and corneal deposits, promoting epithelial renewal. Regenerating agent was then administered as one eye drop every 2 days in addition to preservative-free ocular lubricants. A bandage contact lens was applied in case of moderate-to-severe corneal pain. Corneal ulcers were regularly assessed until healing.

Results

In total, 17 patients with a chronic corneal ulcer of various etiologies for several months on average were enrolled. Corneal scrubbing combined with regenerating agent administration led to a rapid corneal ulcer size reduction from 26.4 ± 20.6 mm2 after scrubbing (before regenerating agent) to 7.2 ± 7.1 mm2 at day 5, 3.3 ± 6.0 mm2 at day 10, and 0.9 ± 2.3 mm2 at day 18. Complete corneal ulcer healing was observed in 35.2% of patients within 10 days, in 70.4% within 18 days, and in all patients within 25 days. Corneal ulcer relapse was observed in two (11.8%) patients after 6 weeks and 5 months, respectively; both were successfully treated using the same procedure. The regenerating agent was well tolerated in all patients.

Conclusion

In this study, combined corneal scrubbing and matrix regenerating therapy (with or without bandage contact lens) led to a rapid healing and successful resolution of persisting corneal ulcers, including large and deep corneal ulcers.
Integrative Analysis of the Genes Induced by the Intestine Microbiota of Infant Born to Term and Breastfed
Authors: Nouadi Badreddine , Sbaoui Yousra , El Messal Mariame , Bennis Faiza , Chegdani Fatima
Published: April 2020

Nowadays, the integration of biological data is a major challenge for bioinformatics. Many studies have examined gene expression in the epithelial tissue in the intestines of infants born to term and breastfed, generating a large amount of data. The integration of these data is important to understand the biological processes involved during bacterial colonization of the newborns intestine, particularly through breast milk. This work aims to exploit the bioinformatics approaches, to provide a new representation and interpretation of the interactions between differentially expressed genes in the host intestine induced by the microbiota.
Reflections on navigating the PhD journey as a social work practitioner
Authors: Lotty Maria
Published: April 2020

Practitioners who undertake PhDs find themselves in a unique research position. They have a dual role of being a researcher, a doctoral candidate and also a practitioner. This paper describes my reflections on the journey of doing a PhD as an experienced social work practitioner. First, I describe my study which designed, developed and evaluated a psychoeducational intervention for foster carers in Ireland. Then, I discuss my reflections on my position in the research and how I theoretically framed my study in a pragmatist approach. I discuss the challenges I experienced as a practitioner and doctoral candidate. I conclude that my position as a practitioner and doctoral candidate was likely to have enhanced my research and the contribution it has made to social work practice.
Oral Expressive Outcomes in Late-Identified Children With Hearing Loss
Authors: de Diego-Lázaro Beatriz , Restrepo María Adelaida
Published: April 2020

This case study described the oral expressive outcomes of five children with hearing loss who experienced prolonged auditory deprivation prior to participating in an auditory intervention. Expressive outcomes were measured by the number of spontaneous words and imitations. Visual analyses revealed that two of the five participants increased their oral expressive skills during the intervention. The results suggest that children with hearing loss who are late identified and aided can still develop some basic oral expressive skills, but they would probably benefit from interventions that directly target the use of words expressively.
The Application of Radiomics in Breast MRI: A Review
Authors: Ye Dong-Man , Wang Hao-Tian , Yu Tao
Published: April 2020

Breast cancer has been a worldwide burden of women’s health. Although concerns have been raised for early diagnosis and timely treatment, the efforts are still needed for precision medicine and individualized treatment. Radiomics is a new technology with immense potential to obtain mineable data to provide rich information about the diagnosis and prognosis of breast cancer. In our study, we introduced the workflow and application of radiomics as well as its outlook and challenges based on published studies. Radiomics has the potential ability to differentiate between malignant and benign breast lesions, predict axillary lymph node status, molecular subtypes of breast cancer, tumor response to chemotherapy, and survival outcomes. Our study aimed to help clinicians and radiologists to know the basic information of radiomics and encourage cooperation with scientists to mine data for better application in clinical practice.
Stopped At the Border: Cortical Spreading Depolarization Blocks Seizure Propagation
Authors: Stafstrom Carl E.
Published: April 2020

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The Frail Male: Early Life Inflammation Promotes Chloride Loading in Adult Male Mice
Authors: Joshi Suchitra , Beenhakker Mark
Published: April 2020

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MMN-Indexed Auditory Change Detection in Major Depressive Disorder
Authors: Bissonnette Jenna N. , Francis Ashley M. , Hull Krista M. , Leckey Jennifer , Pimer Laura , Berrigan Lindsay I. , Fisher Derek J.
Published: April 2020

In major depressive disorder (MDD), event-related potentials that are involved in auditory cortex function (i.e. N100 and P300) often have greater latencies and decreased amplitudes. The auditory mismatch negativity (MMN) is thought to be produced by generators in the auditory cortex, as well as the frontal lobes. Reports on differences in MMN in those with MDD have been varied. It was hypothesized that the wide range of results in the literature may be due to the use of different deviant types in eliciting the MMN. To attempt and explain these inconsistencies, the current study employed a multifeature MMN paradigm with 5 deviant tone types in community-dwelling participants with a diagnosis of MDD. We found those with MDD had higher MMN amplitudes following tones that deviated in intensity and location, but no difference in MMNs elicted by the other deivants (relative to unaffected controls). Location MMN deviants were negatively correlated with depression severity scores (i.e. larger MMN with greater severity). We also found longer MMN latencies following the pitch deviant. These results suggest the early auditory change detection process is altered in MDD, but only following certain types of auditory stimuli. Potential explanations for these findings, including high levels of anxiety and the influence of tryptophan are explored. Equally, the current report highlights the importance of using various deviant types when examining the MMN in clinical populations.
Let’s Play News!: An SFL Approach to Aesthetic Interactivity of Gamified News
Authors: Fawzy Rania Magdi
Published: April 2020

Gamification redefines news reading activity by turning it into a playful experience. The shift from a reading mode to a playing mode marks a shift in news semogenesis strategies that need to be investigated to provide a better understanding of the emerging genres of news gamification and to build some reflections on the ongoing changes in journalistic practices and news values. This article takes a case study of the Al Jazeera gamified news, #Hacked-Syria’s Electronic Armies. The article aims to account for the semogenic resources employed by #Hacked and the resulting aesthetic and immersive experience of interactivity. It is found that #Hacked makes sense through the medium of aesthetics of interactivity. Studied through the lens of systemic functional linguistics, aesthetics in the context of the current study is not reduced to a mere attention to style; rather it describes a different and unique digital process of meaning making based on the participant’s immersive interactivity and choices. It is the semogenic power of choice and the immersive aesthetics of interactivity that mainly create #Hacked news value. The analysis yields that #Hacked reconfigures traditional notions of readers, news, and news values.
Principals’ sense-making of resource allocation within a national reform implementation
Authors: Ganon-Shilon Sherry , Tamir Emanuel , Schechter Chen
Published: April 2020

Through a sense-making lens, this qualitative study explores high school principals’ considerations while they perceive and enact additional resources within a national reform implementation. Principals’ allocation of resources, especially as part of a national reform, is a complex matter for schools’ effectiveness in an era of accountability. This study investigates data from interviews with 22 Israeli high school principals implementing the national reform in secular and religious state schools from all school districts. Data analysis has yielded three themes: (a) promoting students’ learning achievements towards matriculation exams; (b) deepening student-teacher relations; and (c) developing a new pedagogy. Exploring the allocation of resources to suit principals’ particular needs through a sense-making prism may contribute to the scholarship and to the practice of school leadership while promoting change within a national reform implementation.
Birthing Consciousness as a Case of Adaptive Altered State of Consciousness Associated With Transient Hypofrontality
Authors: Dahan Orli
Published: April 2020

In this article, I present the concept of “birthing consciousness,” a psychophysical altered state of women that can occur during natural and undisturbed birth. I demonstrate that this altered state of consciousness (ASC) has phenomenological and cognitive features of hypofrontality; thus, birthing consciousness probably shares a similar brain mechanism to that postulated by the transient-hypofrontality theory (THT). I argue that until recently (with the advent of modern medical intervention), in evolutionary terms, women lacking the proclivity for this specific brain mechanism had a lower chance of reproducing successfully. Hence, I suggest a general and preliminary hypothesis concerning THT: Birthing consciousness is one example of an adaptive pain-induced ASC associated with transient hypofrontality.
Seven Challenges for the Dehumanization Hypothesis
Authors: Over Harriet
Published: April 2020

Propagandists often compare members of stigmatized out-groups to nonhuman entities such as rats, lice, and snakes. Drawing on these horrifying descriptions, the dehumanization hypothesis proposes that out-group members are viewed as less than human and that being viewed as less than human renders them vulnerable to harm. I offer seven challenges to the dehumanization hypothesis. I argue that, even in supposedly prototypical examples of extreme dehumanization, out-group members are not treated like nonhuman entities. Furthermore, although out-group members may be denied some human qualities and states, they are attributed others. I also argue that there is reason to doubt the hypothesized causal connection between being viewed as less than human and being at risk of harm—some nonhuman organisms are treated with great care, and some groups are harmed because of how their uniquely human qualities are perceived. I close by offering an alternative account of why out-group members are sometimes referred to as nonhuman entities.
Rethinking Executive Function and Its Development
Authors: Doebel Sabine
Published: April 2020

Research on executive function in early childhood has flourished in recent years. Much of this work is premised on a view of development of executive function as the emergence of a set of domain-general component processes (e.g., working memory updating, inhibitory control, shifting). This view has shaped how we think about relations between executive function and other aspects of development, the role of the environment in executive-function development, and how best to improve executive function in children who struggle with it. However, there are conceptual and empirical reasons to doubt that executive function should be defined in this way. I argue that the development of executive function is better understood as the emergence of skills in using control in the service of specific goals. Such goals activate and are influenced by mental content such as knowledge, beliefs, norms, values, and preferences that are acquired with development and are important to consider in understanding children’s performance on measures of executive function. This account better explains empirical findings than the component-process view; leads to specific, testable hypotheses; and has implications for theory, measurement, and interventions.
Early, but not overwhelming: The effect of prior context on segmenting overlapping ambiguous strings when reading Chinese
Authors: Huang Linjieqiong , Li Xingshan
Published: April 2020

The current study investigated how the prior context influences word segmentation of overlapping ambiguous strings when reading Chinese. Chinese readers’ eye movements were recorded as they read sentences containing a three-character overlapping ambiguous string (ABC), where both AB and BC were two-character words. In the informative condition, prior contexts provided syntactic information that supported either the first word segmentation (AB-C) or the second word segmentation (A-BC). The neutral condition did not provide syntactic constraint for word-segmentation. The post-target contexts were syntactically consistent with either the first word (AB-C) or the second word (A-BC) segmentation. The results showed that there were higher skipping rates and shorter first-fixation durations on the overlapping ambiguous string region in the informative AB-C condition than those in the informative A-BC condition, whereas no difference between the AB-C and A-BC segmentation types was found in the neutral condition. Readers still made regressions into the overlapping ambiguous string region in the informative condition. These results imply that readers use sentence context information immediately to segment the overlapping ambiguous words, but they do not use the context information fully. The first word (AB) has processing advantages over the second word (BC), suggesting a left-side word advantage.
Letter connectedness and Arabic visual word recognition
Authors: Alluhaybi Ibrahim , Witzel Jeffrey
Published: April 2020

This study investigates the processing consequences of letter connectedness during Arabic visual word recognition. Specifically, this study examined (a) whether there is a processing cost associated with letter connectedness during word-level reading and (b) whether this factor modulates form-level activation among words during lexical access. Experiment 1 tested one-, two-, and three-chunk Arabic words and nonwords in a lexical decision task with masked identity priming. Experiment 2 tested the same stimuli in a lexical decision task with masked form priming, in which prime–target pairs differed by a letter associated with the morphological root. In both experiments, there was a clear processing cost for letter connectedness—one-chunk words had longer processing times than two-chunk words, which had longer processing times than three-chunk words. Comparable processing time differences were also found for nonwords, suggesting that letter connectedness influences Arabic word recognition at a prelexical orthographic processing stage. Furthermore, although reliable priming was found in both the experiments, there was a suggestion that letter connectedness modulated form priming effects (Experiment 2), with the strongest effect for three-chunk word targets. These findings are taken to indicate that letter connectedness is an important factor that should be considered—and controlled for—in examinations of Arabic visual word recognition.
European Union and online platforms in global audiovisual politics and economy: Once Upon a Time in America?
Authors: Vlassis Antonios
Published: April 2020

The purpose of this article is twofold: to consider whether and how the European Union has a strong influence in global audiovisual politics and economy and to analyse whether the United States keeps playing a key role in global audiovisual flows or its domination is challenged by the European Union or other countries. These two purposes are analysed in the light of the rise of global online platforms, seen as the new dominant development in the audiovisual industry. In order to understand the European Union role and influence, the article highlights three interlinked factors: European/internal audiovisual policies, market profile and foreign audiovisual diplomacy. In the end, the article examines the competition that European Union faces in the global film economy, focusing notably on the US/Hollywood, China, India and global online platforms.
Ethical aspects of the COVID-19 crisis: How to deal with an overwhelming shortage of acute beds
Authors: Vincent Jean-Louis , Creteur Jacques
Published: April 2020

The current outbreak of SARS-CoV-2 has and continues to put huge pressure on intensive care units (ICUs) worldwide. Many patients with COVID-19 require some form of respiratory support and often have prolonged ICU stays, which results in a critical shortage of ICU beds. It is therefore not always physically possible to treat all the patients who require intensive care, raising major ethical dilemmas related to which patients should benefit from the limited resources and which should not. Here we consider some of the approaches to the acute shortages seen during this and other epidemics, including some guidelines for triaging ICU admissions and treatments.
Percutaneous intradiscal injection of radiopaque gelified ethanol: short- and long-term functional outcome and complication rate in a consecutive series of patients with lumbar disc herniation
Authors: La Torre Domenico , Volpentesta Giorgio , Stroscio Carmelino , Bombardieri Caterina , Chirchiglia Domenico , Guzzi Giusy , Pugliese Dorotea , De Bartolo Emilio , Lavano Angelo
Published: April 2020

Lumbar disc herniation (LDH) is a common cause of low back pain (LBP) and/or radicular pain (RP). Over the years, different therapies have been proposed to treat symptomatic LDH, including different minimally invasive techniques and open surgical methods. Recently, percutaneous intradiscal injection of radiopaque gelified ethanol (RGE) DiscoGel® has emerged as an effective therapeutic option in patients with LDH. Nevertheless, only few studies addressed the reliability of this technique. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of this procedure. We analysed surgical and outcome data of patients with small or medium LDH treated by DiscoGel between 2012 to 2015. Outcome variables included pain relief, the limitation on physical activity and severity of depression status. Overall, complication rate was defined as the occurrence of any perioperative adverse events. A total of 94 consecutive patients were enrolled in the study. Pain relief was achieved in 90.6% and 88.8% of patients at 1- and 4-year follow-up, respectively. At the last follow-up, at least a satisfactory result was achieved in 92.5% of patients. Similar results were obtained in the limitation on physical activity. Depression status did not significantly change after treatment. There was no mortality, and no patients experienced permanent sequelae. In well-selected patients, DiscoGel has proved effective in maintaining excellent functional results in terms of pain relief and limitation on physical activity while minimizing the overall rate of complications related to these kinds of surgical procedures.
Positive Leadership Behaviour and Flourishing: The Mediating Role of Trust in Information Technology Organizations
Authors: Ramdas Sunil Kumar , Patrick Harold Andrew
Published: April 2020

Leaders across the globe have the accountability of leading their team members, ensuring a high level of trust in workplace (TWP) to flourish and enabling organizations towards goal achievement. These leaders work closely with their employees by recognizing their strengths and appreciating their accomplishment. They empower employees to higher levels of performance, thus creating value for stakeholders. The purpose of this research was to investigate the mediating role of TWP between positive leadership and flourishing. A total of 203 employees from the top 10 information technology (IT) organizations participated in the survey and completed three standardized, valid and reliable instruments. It was found that employees do experience positive leadership, flourishing and TWP to a moderate extent. A significant relationship was found between positive leadership, flourishing and TWP. These two moderately affected employees flourishing at the workplace. A model was developed and tested, it was found to be a good fit. Positive leadership behaviour (PLB) and TWP significantly influenced flourishing of employees. TWP mediated the relationship between PLB and flourishing. Findings of this study suggest that positive leaders are perceived as someone who recognize and focus on the strengths and accomplishments of employees. The research outcome will help develop strategies for leaders to explore and imbibe positive leadership approaches which would aid in developing a positive relationship between the constructs to engage employees better and move towards organizational success. The study is an attempt to examine the relationship between the constructs and contribute towards PLB, TWP and flourishing theory in the Indian IT context.
HIV Self-Testing Can Be Liberating to HIV-Positive Women and Their Sexual Partners: A Qualitative Study in Kisumu, Western Kenya
Authors: Agot Kawango , Wango Gift-Noelle , Obonyo Beatrice , Thirumurthy Harsha
Published: April 2020

Background:

Nearly half of Kenyan men with HIV-positive partners do not know their partner’s status. We carried out a qualitative substudy to explore the experiences of a sample of HIV-positive women when distributing HIV self-tests (HIVST) to their sexual partners.

Methods:

HIV-positive women were invited for in-depth interviews to share their experiences in offering HIVST to their partners and how self-testing impacted their relationships.

Results:

Two hundred ninety-seven women were randomized to HIVST, 12 of whom self-reported being HIV positive and 11 participated in the interview. Self-testing procedures and interpretation of results were well understood. Participants were strategic in approaching their partners, thus avoided partner violence. Couple testing was high, which strengthened relationships, improved condom use, and empowered women to make joint decisions concerning their health.

Conclusions:

Giving HIV-positive women HIVST kits to distribute to their male partners is feasible and safe. Providers who have challenges reaching male partners with testing should consider HIVST.
Conflicts Experienced by Caregivers of Older Adults With the Health-Care System
Authors: Rajanala Alekya , Ramirez-Zohfeld Vanessa , O’Conor Rachel , Brown Denise , Lindquist Lee A
Published: April 2020

Background:

Family caregivers of older adults frequently navigate the health system for their loved ones. As older adults experience more medical issues, the interactions between caregivers and the health system can be fraught with conflicts.

Objective:

To characterize the conflicts that caregivers of older adults experience with the health-care system.

Methods:

A cross-sectional national online survey with open-ended questions was conducted among family caregivers ascertaining experiences with the health-care system. Qualitative thematic analysis was completed using constant comparative analysis and review by a third author.

Results:

Over a 2-month period, 97 caregivers completed the survey. Common themes where caregivers experienced conflicts were Difficulty With Accessing/Communicating With Providers, Delivery of Emergency Care, Disjointed Transitional Care, Unaddressed Clinical Concerns, and Financial. Caregivers reported needing to act as patient advocates in the conflicts with the health-care system.

Conclusion:

Understanding the conflicts that family caregivers encounter with the health system provides potential targets for future interventions to combat the challenges faced by caregivers of older adults and ultimately improve delivery of geriatric care.
Decision-making processes for public memorials in Seoul: How well do they reflect and contribute to South Korea’s democracy?
Authors: Stevens Quentin
Published: April 2020

This paper examines public planning processes for a very specific element of the urban environment: memorials that are placed within the public realm. It explores how the decision-making processes for these installations shape and approve their themes, forms, and placements, through interviews with the key protagonists of a series of public memorial projects that have been created in Seoul over the past 15 years. It focuses on evaluating if and how these decision-making processes are democratic.
Bowlesite, PtSnS, a new platinum group mineral (PGM) from the Merensky Reef of the Bushveld Complex, South Africa
Authors: Vymazalová Anna , Zaccarini Federica , Garuti Giorgio , Laufek František , Mauro Daniela , Stanley Chris J. , Biagioni Cristian
Published: April 2020

Bowlesite is a new mineral discovered in the Merensky Reef of the Rustenburg Platinum Mine, Bushveld complex, South Africa. Bowlesite forms tiny grains (maximum dimension 20 μm). It is associated with sulfides including chalcopyrite, pyrrhotite and pentlandite, in contact with silicates including plagioclase, pyroxene- and minor serpentine-subgroup and amphibole-supergroup minerals. Bowlesite is brittle and has a metallic lustre. In plane-polarised light, bowlesite has a light bluish grey colour. It shows weak bireflectance, no pleochroism and has weak anisotropism. Internal reflections were not observed. Reflectance values of bowlesite in air (R1, R2 in %) are: 50.3–51.4 at 470 nm, 48.5–48.9 at 546 nm, 47.9–48.6 at 589 nm and 47.8–48.7 at 650 nm. Ten spot analyses of bowlesite give the average composition: Pt 56.85, Pd 0.02, Sn 34.03 and S 9.15, total 100.05 wt.%, corresponding to the empirical formula (Pt1.001Pd0.001)Σ1.002Sn0.997S1.001, based on 3 atoms per formula unit. The simplified formula is PtSnS. Due to the small size of bowlesite, the crystal structure was solved and refined from the powder X-ray-diffraction data of synthetic PtSnS. The calculated density is 10.06 g⋅cm–3. The mineral is orthorhombic, space group: Pca21 (#29) with a = 6.11511(10), b = 6.12383(10), c = 6.09667(11) Å, V = 228.31(1) Å3 and Z = 4. Bowlesite is isotypic with cobaltite, CoAsS. The origin of bowlesite is probably related to low-T exsolution of Pt–Sn phases from high-T sulfides crystallised from the sulfide melt. The mineral honours Dr. John Bowles (Manchester University, UK) for his contributions to ore mineralogy and mineral deposits related to mafic–ultramafic rocks.
Effect of aerobic exercise training on asthma in adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Hansen Erik Soeren Halvard , Pitzner-Fabricius Anders , Toennesen Louise Lindhardt , Rasmusen Hanne Kruuse , Hostrup Morten , Hellsten Ylva , Backer Vibeke , Henriksen Marius
Published: April 2020

Objective

To evaluate the effect of aerobic exercise training on asthma control, lung function and airway inflammation in adults with asthma.

Design

Systematic review and meta-analysis.

Methods

Randomised controlled trials investigating the effect of ≥8 weeks of aerobic exercise training on outcomes for asthma control, lung function and airway inflammation in adults with asthma were eligible for study. MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL, PEDro and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) were searched up to April 3, 2019. Risk of bias was assessed using the Cochrane Risk of Bias Tool.

Results

We included 11 studies with a total of 543 adults with asthma. Participants' mean (range) age was 36.5 (22–54) years; 74.8% of participants were female and the mean (range) body mass index was 27.6 (23.2–38.1) kg·m−2. Interventions had a median (range) duration of 12 (8–12) weeks and included walking, jogging, spinning, treadmill running and other unspecified exercise training programmes. Exercise training improved asthma control with a standard mean difference (SMD) of −0.48 (−0.81–−0.16). Lung function slightly increased with an SMD of −0.36 (−0.72–0.00) in favour of exercise training. Exercise training had no apparent effect on markers of airway inflammation (SMD −0.03 (−0.41–0.36)).

Conclusions

In adults with asthma, aerobic exercise training has potential to improve asthma control and lung function, but not airway inflammation.
The supportive care needs of people living with pulmonary fibrosis and their caregivers: a systematic review
Authors: Lee Joanna Y.T. , Tikellis Gabriella , Corte Tamera J. , Goh Nicole S. , Keir Gregory J. , Spencer Lissa , Sandford Debra , Khor Yet H. , Glaspole Ian , Price John , Hey-Cunningham Alison J. , Maloney Jamie , Teoh Alan K.Y. , Watson Alice L. , Holland Anne E.
Published: April 2020

Background

People with pulmonary fibrosis often experience a protracted time to diagnosis, high symptom burden and limited disease information. This review aimed to identify the supportive care needs reported by people with pulmonary fibrosis and their caregivers.

Methods

A systematic review was conducted according to PRISMA guidelines. Studies that investigated the supportive care needs of people with pulmonary fibrosis or their caregivers were included. Supportive care needs were extracted and mapped to eight pre-specified domains using a framework synthesis method.

Results

A total of 35 studies were included. The most frequently reported needs were in the domain of information/education, including information on supplemental oxygen, disease progression and prognosis, pharmacological treatments and end-of-life planning. Psychosocial/emotional needs were also frequently reported, including management of anxiety, anger, sadness and fear. An additional domain of “access to care” was identified that had not been specifieda priori; this included access to peer support, psychological support, specialist centres and support for families of people with pulmonary fibrosis.

Conclusion

People with pulmonary fibrosis report many unmet needs for supportive care, particularly related to insufficient information and lack of psychosocial support. These data can inform the development of comprehensive care models for people with pulmonary fibrosis and their loved ones.
Chitotriosidase: a marker and modulator of lung disease
Authors: Chang De , Sharma Lokesh , Dela Cruz Charles S.
Published: April 2020

Chitotriosidase (CHIT1) is a highly conserved and regulated chitinase secreted by activated macrophages; it is a member of the 18-glycosylase family (GH18). CHIT1 is the most prominent chitinase in humans, can cleave chitin and participates in the body's immune response and is associated with inflammation, infection, tissue damage and remodelling processes. Recently, CHIT1 has been reported to be involved in the molecular pathogenesis of pulmonary fibrosis, bronchial asthma, COPD and pulmonary infections, shedding new light on the role of these proteins in lung pathophysiology. The potential roles of CHIT1 in lung diseases are reviewed in this article.
Screening of organic micropollutants in raw and drinking water in the Yangtze River Delta, China
Authors: Ren Hanwei , Tröger Rikard , Ahrens Lutz , Wiberg Karin , Yin Daqiang
Published: April 2020

Background

The vast occurrence of organic micropollutants in surface waters has raised concerns about drinking water safety and public health. The Tai Hu Basin region in China, a typical developing and populous area, is facing the challenge of water pollution. To ensure drinking water safety, the knowledge on how treatment techniques and raw water quality affect the quality of finished water must be improved. The aim of the current study was to evaluate drinking water quality with respect to organic micropollutants and how the purity of the finished water depends on source water contamination and drinking water treatment strategies. Five drinking water treatment plants (DWTPs), using three different source waters in the Tai Hu River Basin, (i) Yangtze River, (ii) Wetland River Network, and (iii) Lake Tai Hu, were studied by analyzing 291 micropollutants in raw and finished water.

Results

Major differences in concentrations and composition profiles of organic micropollutants were observed between the source waters. Among the studied micropollutants, the dominating group was pesticides in the Wetland River Network and flame retardants in Yangtze. The total concentration of poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) in Tai Hu water was far higher than in the other samples. In total, 51 compounds were detected in the finished water, with an overall average total concentration of 730 ± 160 ng L−1. The removal efficiency of the detected compounds in the DWTPs averaged 24 ± 150%, which highlights the major challenge for the DWTPs in removing the emerging organic micropollutants through current treatment processes.

Conclusions

Our study showed that if the source water contains high levels of PFASs and organophosphorus flame retardants, even advanced treatment procedures are inefficient in removing the micropollutants, and the finished drinking water may contain cumulative levels of organic micropollutants in the ​µg L−1 range. On the other hand, if pesticides and pharmaceuticals dominate, a high overall treatment efficiencies may be obtained if advanced treatment techniques are used. The DWTPs are advised to use advanced treatment techniques or alternative water sources to guarantee the safety of drinking water. As surface water systems are highly impacted by upstream activities, efforts should also be made in the water sector for improving the surface water quality.
Food insecurity and food pantry use among transgender and gender non-conforming people in the Southeast United States
Authors: Russomanno Jennifer , Jabson Tree Jennifer M.
Published: April 2020

Background

Transgender and gender non-conforming (TGNC) people face high rates of poverty, joblessness, and homelessness, rendering this population vulnerable to experiencing food insecurity. Yet, there is almost no empirical evidence concerning food insecurity and the use of local and federal food assistance resources in the TGNC community. Food insecurity, the use of local and Federal food assistance resources, and associations with gender-related minority stressors and resilience using the Gender Minority Stress and Resilience (GMSR) scale among TGNC individuals living in the Southeast United States (U.S.) were documented in this study.

Methods

A cross-sectional online survey was conducted with TGNC people living in the Southeast U.S. Participants were recruited via targeted Facebook advertisements.

Results

In total, 105 TGNC people completed the survey; 79% of survey participants experienced food insecurity, 19% utilized Federal, and 22% utilized local food assistance resources. High levels of minority stress and community resilience were reported. The GMSR resilience scale Pride (aOR = 1.09, 95% CI 1.00–1.19, p = .04) was significantly associated with the use of local food pantries, but minority stressors were not. No significant associations were found between GMSR and food security.

Conclusion

TGNC people living in the Southeast U.S. experienced food insecurity, unstable housing, low wages, and social stigma that were a barrier to using emergency food resources. Multi-level public health solutions that address discriminatory legislative policies and create linkages between TGNC people and local and federal food assistance are required to address issues of food insecurity in the TGNC population.