bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Mediated roles of generalized trust and perceived social support in the effects of problematic social media use on mental health: A cross‐sectional study
Authors: Lin Chung‐Ying , Namdar Peyman , Griffiths Mark D. , Pakpour Amir H.
Published: November 2020

Background

Current literature lacks evidence concerning how problematic social media use associates with mental health. To address the gap, the present study used mediation models to examine whether generalized trust and perceived social support (PSS) are potential mediators in the relationship between problematic social media use and mental health.

Methods

The sample comprised Iranian adults (n = 1073; 614 females). The participants completed a number of scales to assess problematic social media use (Bergen Social Media Addiction Scale), generalized trust (Generalized Trust Scale), PSS (Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, happiness (Oxford Happiness Questionnaire Short Form), depression and anxiety (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale), and mental quality of life (Short Form‐12).

Results

Problematic social media use had negative effects on happiness and mental quality of life via the mediators of generalized trust (bootstrapping SE = 0.017; effect = −0.041; 95% CI = −0.079, −0.012) and PSS (bootstrapping SE = 0.023; effect = −0.163; 95% CI = −0.211, −0.119). Problematic social media use had positive effects on anxiety and depression via the mediators of generalized trust (bootstrapping SE = 0.022; effect = 0.064; 95% CI = 0.026, 0.113) and PSS (bootstrapping SE = 0.024; effect = 0.052; 95% CI = 0.009, 0.102).

Conclusions

Problematic social media use, generalized trust and PSS are important factors for an individual's mental health. Health‐care providers may want to assist individuals regardless of having mental health problems in reducing their problematic social media use and improving their generalized trust and social support.
An investigation into security, self‐confidence and gender differences related to undergraduate education in Endodontics
Authors: Haug S. R. , Linde B. R. , Christensen H. Q. , Vilhjalmsson V. H. , Bårdsen A.
Published: November 2020

Aim

To analyse responses from dental practitioners (DPs) on how secure they felt as a newly graduated dentist, level of confidence or self‐efficacy when performing root canal treatment (RCT), and if undergraduate (UG) education in Endodontics adequately met their needs in a dental practice.

Methodology

An electronic questionnaire was sent to 459 dentists who graduated from the University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway, between 2008 and 2018. The survey consisted of questions with closed‐end options and Likert scale (1–5). An open‐ended free text option was always provided.

Results

A total of 314 (68.4%) DPs answered the questionnaire. Of these, 87 (27.8%) were men and 224 (71.3%) were women. Three respondents did not disclose their gender. As a newly graduated dentist, 37.3% of the respondents felt secure when performing RCT, 30.7% felt indifferent, and 32.0% felt insecure. The majority (72.4%) of respondents were either confident or very confident when performing RCT, 21.3% were indifferent, and 6.3% had little or no confidence. A majority of DPs (84.4%) self‐evaluated the quality of their root fillings as good or very good, and 15.2% were indifferent. Only one DP selected ‘not good’ and none selected ‘bad’. There were significant gender differences where male DPs felt more secure than female DPs when performing RCT (P < 0.001). A significantly larger number of men were very confident compared to women (P < 0.001). A logistic regression analysis using confidence as a dependent variable to predict self‐efficacy revealed that DPs who felt secure when performing RCT as a newly graduated dentist had about 8 times more self‐efficacy (odds ratio = 8.49) than those who were insecure or indifferent. Respondents who rated their quality of root fillings as good or very good had forty times more self‐efficacy (odds ratio = 40.06) when performing RCT. UG education in endodontics was considered inadequate by 71.3% of the respondents where a significantly larger number of DPs (70%) wanted more clinical training (P < 0.05). About half the DPs (47.7%) stated that there was a need for lifelong learning with majority preferring hands‐on courses and continuing dental education organized by dental associations.

Conclusions

The results of this study suggest that there is a need to promote self‐efficacy during UG education in Endodontics. Hands‐on training is the preferred form of lifelong learning for DPs.
Prevalence of scratching during examination among patients with scabies and among patients with other pruritic dermatoses
Authors: Lam Hoai Xuân‐Lan , De Maertelaer Viviane , Simonart Thierry
Published: November 2020

Background

Scabies is a parasitic skin disease. Its clinical diagnosis may be challenging.

Methods

In a prospective observational study, we enrolled all consecutive patients ≥16 years of age with a presumptive diagnosis of scabies and all patients ≥16 years of age with a diffuse itchy dermatosis lasting for more than 1 week. We investigated whether patients with scabies were more prone to scratch themselves during the consultation than patients with other pruritic dermatoses.

Results

We observed that a significant proportion of patients (25/62, 40%) with scabies had to scratch while talking or being examined. This clinical sign was less frequently noticed in patients with pruritic dermatoses of other origins (26/196, 13%) (P < 0.001).

Conclusions

The observation of a patient scratching himself during the consultation should prompt serious consideration of scabies. This easily observable clinical sign may be especially useful in low‐resource settings, where scabies is known to be very prevalent.
Acute severe hypertension associated with acute gastroenteritis in children
Authors: Fishbein Jennifer E. , Sethna Christine B. , Singer Pamela , Castellanos‐Reyes Laura
Published: November 2020

Acute severe hypertension in otherwise healthy children with acute illness requiring hospitalization for BP management is uncommon and warrants immediate evaluation. We describe 10 cases of children presenting with acute gastroenteritis and found to have acute severe hypertension. They required admission to the hospital for antihypertensive treatment, including 2 to the intensive care unit, but all had normalization of BP and were able to stop treatment with resolution of the acute illness. All patients had thorough testing for secondary causes of hypertension and for signs of end‐target organ damage, which were unremarkable. To our knowledge, acute severe hypertension in the setting of acute gastroenteritis without underlying kidney pathology and with complete resolution after illness has not been previously described. The mechanism of this association is not clear, although activation of the sympathetic nervous system is suspected. These cases illustrate the importance of thoroughly assessing BP in the acute setting.
Actinic cheilitis: a systematic review of treatment options
Authors: Trager M.H. , Farmer K. , Ulrich C. , Basset‐Seguin N. , Herms F. , Geskin L.J. , Bouaziz J.‐D. , Lebbé C. , de Masson A. , Bagot M. , Dobos G.
Published: November 2020

Actinic cheilitis is a premalignant condition that can progress to squamous cell carcinoma with a higher propensity for metastasis than cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma. Optimal treatment for actinic cheilitis has not been established, and evidence‐based estimates of clinical cure in the dermatology literature are limited. Here, we review and synthesize outcome data published for patients with actinic cheilitis after treatment with various modalities. A systematic review was conducted in MEDLINE, Embase and the Cochrane library for English, French and German‐language studies and references of included articles from inception to 20 January 2020. Studies were included if they reported on at least six patients with biopsy‐proven actinic cheilitis. After quality appraisal, results of studies with the strongest methodology criteria were synthesized. 18 studies of 411 patients (published 1985 to 2016) were included. The majority of the studies were case series. Carbon dioxide laser ablation and vermilionectomy were associated with the most favourable outcomes with fewest recurrences. Chemical peel and photodynamic therapy were associated with higher recurrence. Adverse effects generally resolved in the weeks following treatment and cosmetic outcomes were favourable overall. In conclusion, there is a lack of high‐quality comparative studies evaluating different treatment options for actinic cheilitis. The included publications used various outcome measures; however, the majority reported on the recently defined core outcome sets. These results suggest that both carbon dioxide laser ablation and vermilionectomy are effective treatments for actinic cheilitis. Prospective head‐to‐head studies are needed to compare these treatment modalities and to assess patient preferences.
Reproductive biology of the Rasptail skate Rostroraja velezi (Rajiformes: Rajidae)
Authors: Soto‐López Katherin , Ochoa‐Báez Rosa Isabel , Galván‐Magaña Felipe , Oddone Maria Cristina
Published: November 2020

The Rasptail skate Rostroraja velezi is commercially exploited in artisanal elasmobranch fisheries along the west coast of Baja California Sur, Mexico, but information on its life history is limited. This study aimed to investigate the reproductive biology of R. velezi. A total of 105 specimens were caught from April 2008 to May 2012, including the largest reported specimen with 121 cm total length, 96 cm disc width (DW). Females attained larger sizes than males. Males and females presented functional gonads. There was an asymmetry in the testes of males, with the left testis being larger. Histological analysis of the reproductive biology of R. velezi was performed here for the first time. The presence of sperm storage in females and spermatogenic development beginning at the first stages of maturity in males was recorded. It was possible to identify the development of secretions in the club, baffle and terminal zone of the oviducal gland. DW at maturity, defined as the DW at which 50% of the population is mature, was estimated at 68–72 cm for females and 65.1 cm for males. Egg‐bearing females caught in April and May presented one egg capsule per uterus. Furthermore, a description of the egg capsule of R. velezi is provided. Elucidating the reproductive cycle, the type of reproductive strategies, and the fecundity of R. velezi will allow us to understand the impact of fisheries on this species.
An MDS 3.0 Distressed Behavior in Dementia Indicator (DBDI): A Clinical Tool to Capture Change
Authors: Curyto Kimberly J. , Jedele Jenefer M. , Mohr David C. , Eaker April , Intrator Orna , Karel Michele
Published: November 2020

Background/Objectives

Persons with dementia frequently demonstrate distress behaviors in dementia (DBD), associated with poorer outcomes. This study aimed to create a measure of DBD from routinely administered Minimum Data Set (MDS 3.0) behavior section items that demonstrated sensitivity to change, for evaluation of intervention efforts for VA Community Living Center (CLCs) residents exhibiting DBD.

Setting

72 VA nursing home settings, or Community Living Centers (CLCs).

Participants

CLC residents with DBD (n = 302) were enrolled in an interdisciplinary behavioral intervention between 2013 and 2017.

Design

A factor analysis of MDS behavior section items from assessments closest to baseline was conducted. Internal consistency, hypothesized associations between MDS factors and clinical measures, and sensitivity to detect change over time was explored.

Measurements

Residents were assessed at baseline and post‐intervention using the MDS behavior section items and a validated clinical measure of DBD.

Results

The Distress Behavior in Dementia Indicator (DBDI) was created as a consistent factor with internal consistency, and was related to a validated measure as predicted at baseline and post‐intervention. Sensitivity to change was demonstrated by using change score correlations (r = 0.40–0.50), effect size (d = 0.63), and reliable change indices.

Conclusion

The DBDI is recommended for routine use in CLCs to evaluate impact of intervention effectiveness and provide quality improvement feedback.
Evaluating the efficacy and safety of topical sirolimus 0.2% cream as adjuvant therapy with pulsed dye laser for the treatment of port wine stain: A randomized, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled trial
Authors: Fallahi Mahsa , Hallaji Zahra , Tavakolpour Soheil , Niknam Somayeh , Salehi Farid Ali , Nili Ali , Teimourpour Amir , Daneshpazhooh Maryam , Rahmati Javad , Haddady Abianeh Shahriar , Mahmoudi Hamidreza
Published: November 2020

Background

Port Wine Stain (PWS) is a congenital capillary malformation. Although multiple treatments are required, the gold standard treatment for PWS is Pulsed Dye Laser (PDL). Given its anti‐angiogenic effects, sirolimus can be considered as an adjuvant to PDL in PWS.

Aim

To evaluate the efficacy and safety of topical sirolimus (Rapamycin) 0.2% cream as adjuvant therapy for PDL for PWS.

Methods

In this randomized double‐blind placebo‐controlled trial, 15 patients with PWS were enrolled. Each lesion was divided into upper and lower parts, and each part was assigned randomly to receive PDL (4 sessions, 2 months apart) plus sirolimus vs PDL and placebo. The response was evaluated using colorimetry, investigator global assessment (IGA), and patient global assessment (PGA) every two months for eight continuous months.

Results

According to the colorimetric analysis, medial and lateral sides of the treatment and placebo parts did not differ significantly (both P‐value > .05). However, according to PGA and IGA, there was a significant difference in favor of sirolimus (P‐values = .041 and .039, respectively). Itching and dryness (86.7%), contact dermatitis (20%) were the most common adverse effects in the sirolimus group, while none of them were observed in placebo.

Conclusion

Although the improvement was significant subjectively, topical sirolimus 0.2% as an adjuvant to PDL does not appear to improve PWS erythema using calorimetric assessment.
Upper eyelid blepharoplasty using plasma exeresis: Evaluation of outcomes, satisfaction, and symptoms after procedure
Authors: Ferreira Flávio Calice , Sathler Célia Simões Cardoso de Oliveira , Hida Ilana Yamakami , Leite Suzana Crispin , Kusabara Alessandra Akemi , de Castro Ana Clara Vieira , Ribeiro Mariana Zaíra Moraes Lima , Nahas Tatiana Rizkallah
Published: November 2020

Background

Facial care treatments have grown a remarkable demand for effective and minimally invasive techniques with fast recovery time. Plasma technology is a nonsurgical alternative technique for skin rejuvenation.

Aims

We assessed patient satisfaction and symptoms after upper eyelid blepharoplasty with plasma technology.

Patients/Methods

Observational study including 16 patients submitted to upper eyelid blepharoplasty using plasma technology to treat dermatochalasis. Patient satisfaction, symptoms, and quality of life were assessed using 2 questionnaires at follow‐up days 7 and 30. Also, the answers were correlated with age, Fitzpatrick skin type, and quantity of eyelid skin treated with plasma.

Results

All 16 patients were treated and completed the survey. Fourteen (87.5%) were female, and the mean age was 50.5 years. Physical appearance was the most relevant factor impacting on quality of life at first week postoperative. Regarding satisfaction with results, most patients stated higher level of satisfaction at day 7 follow‐up analysis (P = .038). Less impact on quality of life and higher satisfaction was associated with eyelid‐treated area (P = .044 and P = .036) and Fitzpatrick skin type (P = .043) at 7 and 30 days after procedure, respectively. Eyelid edema and itching were the symptoms most reported at 7 and 30 days, respectively.

Conclusions

Upper blepharoplasty with plasma is a minimally invasive treatment with low impact on quality of life. However, overall patient satisfaction is questionable when considering less willing of undergoing procedure again and decreased expectation with results over postoperative period. Symptoms are reported mainly at the first week after procedure.
MR Diffusion Properties of Cervical Spinal Cord as a Predictor of Progression to Multiple Sclerosis in Patients with Clinically Isolated Syndrome
Authors: Dostál Marek , Keřkovský Miloš , Stulík Jakub , Bednařík Josef , Praksová Petra , Hulová Monika , Benešová Yvonne , Koriťáková Eva , Šprláková‐Puková Andrea , Mechl Marek
Published: November 2020

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

This study's aim was to investigate diffusion properties of the cervical spinal cord in patients with clinically isolated syndrome (CIS) through analysis of diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) data and thereby to assess the capacity of this technique for predicting the progression of CIS to clinically definite multiple sclerosis (CDMS).

METHODS

The study groups were comprised of 47 patients with CIS (15 of them with progression to CDMS within 2 years of follow‐up) and 57 asymptomatic controls. All patients and controls had undergone magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the cervical spine including DTI and brain MRI. Methodological approaches included histogram analysis of the cervical cord's diffusion parameters and evaluation of T2 hyperintense lesions of the spinal cord and brain. All parameters were compared between the study groups. Sensitivity and specificity calculations were then performed with a view to predicting conversion to CDMS.

RESULTS

The patient subgroups defined by progression to CDMS differed significantly in values of fractional anisotropy (FA) kurtosis measured within white matter (WM) and normal‐appearing WM (NAWM). The same parameters also differed significantly when patients with progression to CDMS were compared to healthy controls. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis revealed sensitivity and specificity of FA kurtosis of WM and NAWM of 93% and 72%, respectively, in terms of predicting CIS to CDMS progression.

CONCLUSION

This study presents evidence that histogram analysis of diffusion parameters of the cervical spinal cord in patients with CIS may be helpful in predicting conversion to CDMS.
Fostering team learning orientation magnitude and strength: Roles of transformational leadership, team personality heterogeneity, and behavioural integration
Authors: Chiu Chia‐Yen (Chad) , Lin Hao‐Chieh , Ostroff Cheri
Published: November 2020

Team learning orientation magnitude and strength are important to sustain group effectiveness and adaptability, but scant research has investigated them simultaneously. We examine how transformational leadership, behavioural integration, and the degree of team personality heterogeneity in extraversion and agreeableness contribute to the magnitude and strength of team learning orientation. In study 1, using a time‐lagged survey sample of 50 work teams, we found that transformational leadership was associated with two team learning orientation aspects through the mediation of behavioural integration. In study 2, in a survey sample of 72 teams, we replicated these findings and further demonstrated that the relationship between transformational leadership and behavioural integration is enhanced when there is greater personality homogeneity in agreeableness. Our findings suggest that transformational leadership is able to converge a high and strong learning orientation in work teams through prompting behavioural integration among members, yet the influence of transformational leadership is contingent on the degree of team personality heterogeneity. Our research conclusions highlight important insights for team leaders about how to create a strong team climate of learning in order to sustain the long‐term success of their work teams.

Practitioner points

Transformational leadership is shown to be associated with high levels of team learning orientation magnitude and strength. Thus, to encourage team learning, adopting transformational leadership training is an effective strategy.

To converge team learning orientation (i.e., promoting strength), it is important for transformational leaders to encourage information exchange, collaboration, and joint decision‐making (i.e., behavioural integration) among team members.

The influence of transformational leadership can be amplified when the team is homogenous on members’ personality. As a result, providing leaders with knowledge of the ‘deep‐level’ composition of team members could help them better foster team behavioural and learning dynamics
How experts screen ideas: The complex interplay of intuition, analysis and sensemaking
Authors: Sukhov Alexandre , Sihvonen Antti , Netz Johan , Magnusson Peter , Olsson Lars E.
Published: November 2020

Organizations use idea screening to select which ideas will be developed into innovation projects. Extant research has revealed that, during idea screening, expert evaluators use intuition to make rapid holistic decisions about idea quality, analyze ideas in detail to determine their value and employ sensemaking to understand and elaborate on ideas. However, much of this takes place in the minds of the evaluators, which limits our understanding of how experts identify good ideas. This study addresses the issue by mapping the activities that expert evaluators use to screen ideas and by examining how these activities are used to identify high quality ideas. To study this, 204 idea screening cases were collected, using the think aloud method on two samples of experts. The data was analyzed using grounded theory techniques to outline the range of idea screening activities that expert evaluators use and then complemented with fuzzy set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) to understand how these activities are combined together to make judgments of idea quality. The findings break down intuition, analysis, and sensemaking into seven key activities that experts use when screening ideas and detail their dimensions on the micro‐level. The fsQCA further shows that experts combine these activities into distinct patterns in order to find high quality ideas, where sensemaking plays a crucial role. This demonstrates that finding high quality ideas often requires effortful interpretation, while also generating opportunities to develop ideas further. These findings add depth to our understanding of how evaluators think when screening ideas, suggesting that expert evaluators can be used for both the screening and development of ideas during the idea screening stage. Integrating idea development into screening can potentially lead to the more effective use of resources, while saving time at the front‐end of innovation.
Secular nationalist revolution and the construction of the Azerbaijani identity, nation and state
Authors: Ahmadoghlu Ramin
Published: November 2020

This article traces the emergence and development of Azerbaijani nationalism, identity and the establishment of an independent nation‐state, the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic, the first Muslim democracy in 1918. Before, the Azerbaijani Turks had lacked a distinct national identity and had been called “Caucasian Muslims” or “Tatars.” This study addresses what actors and processes played roles in the construction of the “Azerbaijani” nation and identity and in the establishment of the new nation‐state. This article, from a constructivist perspective, argues that the key factor behind this emergence was the secular nationalist revolution of the Azerbaijani nationalist elite. While agreeing with Benedict Anderson on the “imagined” nature of nations, about the links between secularization and nationalism, and about the print media's role in the nationalist imagining, this study departs from his structuralist approach, which neglects or underestimates agency, interests, strategy, resources and power. In explaining the development of the Azerbaijani identity and nation, this study offers a theoretical explanation that moves agency—the secular nationalist Azerbaijani elite—to the foreground and also acknowledges the impact of structural factors.
Miniplate‐anchored maxillary protraction in adolescent patients with cleft lip and palate: A literature review of study design, type and protocol, and treatment outcomes
Authors: Ahn Hyo‐Won , Kim Su‐Jung , Baek Seung‐Hak
Published: November 2020

Objective

To review the study design, type, protocol, and treatment outcomes of miniplate‐anchored maxillary protraction (MAMP) in adolescent patients with unilateral or bilateral cleft lip and palate.

Setting/Sample population

Five retrospective and two prospective studies (n = 138 patients) were selected as per the inclusion criteria.

Materials and Methods

The study design, type, protocol of MAMP and the amount of skeletodental change were investigated.

Results

Two studies adopted type 1 (two miniplates at the infrazygomatic crest with a facemask), four studies adopted type 2 (four miniplates at the infrazygomatic crest and mandibular symphysis and use of intermaxillary elastics), and one study compared the two types. The mean start age was older than 10 years except one study. The mean duration was less than 1 year in two studies, between 1 and 2 years in three studies, and more than 2 years in two studies. The type 1 used 500 g/side for 12‐14 h/d, and the type 2 used three increase methods (100, 200, 250 g/side; 75, 150, 250 g/side; 150, 200, and 250 g/side) for 24 h/d. The ranges of A point advancement were 0.5°‐4.2° in ΔSNA and 1.7‐5.6 mm in ΔA‐vertical reference plane, respectively. The ranges of rotation of the palatal plane, occlusal plane, and mandibular plane were −1.5° to 2.0°, −2.0° to 2.0°, −1.5° to 3.2°, respectively. The increase of overjet was ranged from 2.3 to 5.8 mm.

Conclusion

The MAMP therapy is effective for the correction of maxillary hypoplasia in adolescent cleft patients despite different types and protocols.
Genome‐wide analysis of the soybean DREB gene family: Identification, genomic organization and expression profiles in response to drought stress
Authors: Zhou Yaxing , Zhou Wei , Liu Hui , Liu Peng , Li Zhigang
Published: November 2020

DREB transcription factors regulate the expression of stress‐responsive genes, and thus play an important role in plant stress response to abiotic stresses. To obtain a global expression profile of soybean DREB genes under drought stress, we first explored the soybean genome to identify DREB family genes, and then analysed a set of transcriptome data of drought stress to verify their involvement in stress response. We identified 73 DREB family genes from the soybean genome. These DREB genes were further divided into six subgroups basing on the phylogenetic analysis. Gene structure analysis showed that most DREB genes have a single exon without intron. Soybean DREB genes were unevenly distributed on 19 chromosomes. We further identified 186 putative target genes of soybean DREB proteins and found that these targeted genes were significantly enriched in metabolism pathways of fructose and mannose. The analysis of transcriptome data showed that DREB genes were differentially expressed during different periods of drought, indicating that the DREB family genes were responsive to drought stress.
Acclimatisation of guard cell metabolism to long‐term salinity
Authors: Franzisky Bastian Leander , Geilfus Christoph‐Martin , Romo‐Pérez Maria Luisa , Fehrle Ines , Erban Alexander , Kopka Joachim , Zörb Christian
Published: November 2020

Stomatal movements are enabled by changes in guard cell turgor facilitated via transient accumulation of inorganic and organic ions imported from the apoplast or biosynthesized within guard cells. Under salinity, excess salt ions accumulate within plant tissues resulting in osmotic and ionic stress. To elucidate whether (a) Na+ and Cl− concentrations increase in guard cells in response to long‐term NaCl exposure and how (b) guard cell metabolism acclimates to the anticipated stress, we profiled the ions and primary metabolites of leaves, the apoplast and isolated guard cells at darkness and during light, that is, closed and fully opened stomata. In contrast to leaves, the primary metabolism of guard cell preparations remained predominantly unaffected by increased salt ion concentrations. Orchestrated reductions of stomatal aperture and guard cell osmolyte synthesis were found, but unlike in leaves, no increases of stress responsive metabolites or compatible solutes occurred. Diverging regulation of guard cell metabolism might be a prerequisite to facilitate the constant adjustment of turgor that affects aperture. Moreover, the photoperiod‐dependent sucrose accumulation in the apoplast and guard cells changed to a permanently replete condition under NaCl, indicating that stress‐related photosynthate accumulation in leaves contributes to the permanent closing response of stomata under stress.
Decline of serum albumin precedes severe acute GVHD after haploidentical HSCT
Authors: Takahashi Nobuhisa , Mochizuki Kazuhiro , Sano Hideki , Kobayashi Shogo , Ohara Yoshihiro , Ikeda Kazuhiko , Ohto Hitoshi , Kikuta Atsushi
Published: November 2020

Background: Haploidentical hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) is a useful therapy for relapsed/refractory acute leukemia or lymphoma because of the strong graft‐vs‐leukemia (GVL) effect. However, it is often accompanied by severe acute graft‐versus‐host disease (aGVHD), which is the most serious complication after haploidentical HSCT. Thus, it is important to control the severity of aGVHD while maintaining the GVL effect. In our experience of pediatric haploidentical HSCT, it takes several days for aGVHD to become severe after the appearance of initial symptoms, mostly skin rashes. In this study, we aimed to identify useful biomarkers at the onset of aGVHD that predict subsequent development of severe aGVHD.

Methods: Forty‐five consecutive children with relapsed/refractory acute leukemia or lymphoma who developed aGVHD after haploidentical HSCT were enrolled. We analyzed possible biomarkers from samples collected at the onset of acute GVHD.

Results: Nineteen patients developed grade 1–2 aGVHD, and 26 patients developed grade 3–4 aGVHD. There was no significant difference in patient characteristics between the two groups. Transplant‐related mortality occurred only in the grade 3–4 aGVHD group (34.5%). Multivariate analysis revealed that serum albumin was an independent biomarker for predicting the severity of aGVHD (P = 0.009). The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of serum albumin was 0.864.

Conclusions: The serum albumin level at the onset of aGvHD could be a useful biomarker for the development of subsequent severe aGVHD in pediatric patients after haploidentical HSCT.
Families, experiments, and nature: Learning science through project‐based learning
Authors: Santamaría‐Cárdaba Noelia
Published: November 2020

This study brings together the research focused on science education through project‐based learning (PBL). This learning project was carried out in a rural learning community and an attempt was made to adapt to the natural resources of the area by organizing educational outings, experimental activities, and encouraging the participation of families. The overall objective is to test the effectiveness of applying the PBL teaching methodology for learning science in a rural learning community. The methodology used has been qualitative, specifically, the participating research has been used and the information has been compiled in a field notebook. The results show that the didactic proposal had good results; showing that, in conclusion, science teaching today should be inclined toward more innovative educational methodologies such as PBL.
Dividing Lines: The Role School District Boundaries Play in Spending Inequality for Public Education
Authors: Kitchens Karin
Published: November 2020

Objective

To highlight the role that school district boundaries along racial cleavages contribute to differences in spending on public education.

Methods

Financial and demographic data were collected on the 11,000 plus school districts and 1,800 counties in the United States from 1995 to 2011. A series of panel models was used to estimate the effect of segregation on differences in spending.

Results

Models show that white–Black segregation leads to increased variation in per child local revenue within counties. Within these segregated counties, districts with larger Black populations collect less in local revenue but have a higher tax burden.

Conclusion

In explaining differences in per child expenditures across school districts, economic differences are the most cited. Racial segregation often occurs along school district borders and leads to differences in per child expenditures through concentration of resources in certain districts.
Diffusion and Typology: The Invention and Early Adoption of Medicinal Marijuana and Offshore Wind Policies
Authors: Motta Michael J.
Published: November 2020

Objective

This article investigates how different types of policies (morality based and highly technical) inform early‐stage policy learning and diffusion processes.

Methods

Using process tracing, interviews, archival research, and cross‐case analysis, this article describes and compares the emergence of medical marijuana and offshore wind energy policies in U.S. states. Using iterative data collection and analysis, the study identifies which factors proffered by the literature affect the policy learning and diffusion process.

Results

Despite representing different types of policies, there were significant similarities across both cases: State actors drew lessons from Europe; policy lessons from Europe were weaponized by national political interests in an effort to stymy state‐level diffusion; and, as policies diffused to other states, organized opposition curtailed.

Conclusion

This study demonstrates how the stage of diffusion can be as determinative of the policy learning context as the type of policy, and highlights how the diffusion and typology literatures can inform each other.
Leadership Matters: Police Chief Race and Fatal Shootings by Police Officers
Authors: Wu Stephen
Published: November 2020

Objective

This study analyzes the relationship between the race of a city's police chief and the incidence of fatal shootings by police officers.

Methods

The Washington Post's “Fatal Force Database” is used to calculate per‐capita rates of fatal shootings by police officers occurring between January 1, 2015 and June 1, 2020 for the 100 largest cities in the United States. I compare fatal shooting rates for cities with police chiefs of different races, both unadjusted and adjusted for differences in city characteristics.

Results

Rates of fatal shootings by officers are almost 50 percent higher in cities with police forces led by white police chiefs than in cities with black police chiefs. Of the 30 cities with the highest rates of fatal shootings, 23 have police departments led by whites and only four have departments led by blacks, while of the 30 cities with the lowest rates, 16 have police departments led by blacks and only 11 are led by whites. Differences in fatal shooting rates persist after controlling for city characteristics.

Conclusion

Leaders in the highest position of authority may have a powerful effect on the culture of a police department and its resulting behavior.
A modified technique of keratoleptynsis (“letter‐box”) for treatment of canine corneal edema associated with endothelial dysfunction
Authors: Giannikaki Stamatina , Escanilla Natalia , Sturgess Kit , Lowe Robert C.
Published: November 2020

Purpose

To describe a modified keratoleptynsis procedure, as a method of preserving central corneal function, and evaluate the outcome in vision, reduction of corneal thickness and treatment of epithelial corneal ulcers in cases with endothelial cell dysfunction.

Methods

Forty‐four dogs (72 eyes) were affected by progressive corneal edema, with or without ulcerative keratitis. All patients were treated with a dorsal and ventral superficial keratectomy followed by conjunctival flaps, maintaining a clear central cornea. Corneal thickness measurements were obtained via ultrasound biomicroscopy.

Results

All eyes showed resolution of ocular discomfort postoperatively, with a median time to resolution of 35 days. Two years post‐surgery, vision had been lost in 2 of 29 eyes (7%). From the initial population, 23 dogs (39 eyes) had follow‐up evaluations of corneal thickness. The mean central corneal thickness was 1359 ± 251 μm prior to surgery. Thickening of the central cornea was observed one week after surgery to 1559 ± 263 μm. Decreased corneal thickness was reported, at 1 month, 4 months, 10 months and 2 years postoperatively (1285 ± 267 μm, 1102 ± 150 μm, 1121 ± 288 μm, 1193 ± 283 μm, respectively). All eyes showed a similar trend of increasing and then decreasing corneal thickness.

Conclusions

This surgical technique provided statistically significant reduction in central corneal thickness and sustained relief of ocular pain. Reduction in corneal thickness appeared to be maintained 2 years post‐surgery, and all patients remained comfortable. Superficial corneal pigmentation and fibrosis resulted in vision loss in two eyes.
Influence of nasal cavities on voice quality: Computer simulations and experiments
Authors: Vampola Tomáš , Horáček Jaromír , Radolf Vojtěch , Švec Jan G. , Laukkanen Anne-Maria
Published: November 2020

Nasal cavities are known to introduce antiresonances (dips) in the sound spectrum reducing the acoustic power of the voice. In this study, a three-dimensional (3D) finite element (FE) model of the vocal tract (VT) of one female subject was created for vowels [a:] and [i:] without and with a detailed model of nasal cavities based on CT (Computer Tomography) images. The 3D FE models were then used for analyzing the resonances, antiresonances and the acoustic pressure response spectra of the VT. The computed results were compared with the measurements of a VT model for the vowel [a:], obtained from the FE model by 3D printing. The nasality affects mainly the lowest formant frequency and decreases its peak level. The results confirm the main effect of nasalization, i.e., that sound pressure level decreases in the frequency region of the formants F1–F2 and emphasizes the frequency region of the formants F3–F5 around the singer's formant cluster. Additionally, many internal local resonances in the nasal and paranasal cavities were found in the 3D FE model. Their effect on the acoustic output was found to be minimal, but accelerometer measurements on the walls of the 3D-printed model suggested they could contribute to structure vibrations.
Glottalisation, coda voicing, and phrase position in Australian English
Authors: Penney Joshua , Cox Felicity , Szakay Anita
Published: November 2020

Glottalisation is an important cue to coda stop voicelessness, particularly for younger Australian English speakers who utilise glottalisation more than older speakers, suggesting a recent sound change. However, most previous studies of glottalisation in this variety of English have focussed on single word utterances, raising questions about whether glottalisation in those studies may have been prosodically conditioned rather than specific to the coda stop: Could the observed effect have been due to phrase-final creaky voice, which is acoustically similar to coda-related glottalisation? This study therefore explored the differential effects of phrase position on the production of glottalisation. Phrase-medially (where phrase-final creaky voice is not expected to occur), results confirmed previous findings that glottalisation cues coda stop voicelessness and that it does so more frequently for younger compared to older speakers. In phrase-final position, rates of glottalisation increased, but older speakers appeared more similar to younger speakers in use of glottalisation, suggesting that the change towards the increased use of glottalisation may be nearing completion in this prosodic position. Younger speakers appear to represent a more advanced stage of the change extending the use of glottalisation from phrase-final to phrase-medial position.
Matched-field geoacoustic inversion based on radial basis function neural network
Authors: Shen Yining , Pan Xiang , Zheng Zheng , Gerstoft Peter
Published: November 2020

Multi-layer neural networks (NNs) are combined with objective functions of matched-field inversion (MFI) to estimate geoacoustic parameters. By adding hidden layers, a radial basis function neural network (RBFNN) is extended to adopt MFI objective functions. Specifically, shallow layers extract frequency features from the hydrophone data, and deep layers perform inverse function approximation and parameter estimation. A hybrid scheme of backpropagation and pseudo-inverse is utilized to update the RBFNN weights using batch processing for fast convergence. The NNs are trained using a large sample set covering the parameter interval. Numerical simulations and the SWellEx-96 experimental data results demonstrate that the proposed NN method achieves inversion performance comparable to the conventional MFI due to utilizing big data and integrating MFI objective functions.
On acoustic reflection from sand-sized water-saturated granular media at MHz frequencies: Measurements, models and the role of speckle
Authors: Hare Jenna , Hay Alex E.
Published: November 2020

Acoustic reflection coefficients are reported for water-saturated granular media at frequencies from 1.2 to 2.0 MHz using a narrow-beam broadband transducer in a monostatic geometry at near-normal incidence. Natural sand and glass beads with median grain diameters ranging from 0.22 to 0.40 mm were used. For each granular medium, bed elevation and root-mean-square roughness were measured using side-on photographs of the sediment-water interface. The probability density distributions of the bed elevations are Gaussian. The roughness parameter is close to 1, indicating that the reflected pressure field is mainly due to coherent scattering. The probability distribution of the observed reflection coefficients is nearly Gaussian, consistent with the predictions from a coherent single-scattering model. The horizontal decorrelation length of the observed reflection coefficients is ∼4 mm, with no consistent dependence on either frequency or grain size, and approximately equal to 20% of the transducer diameter. This behaviour, which is reproduced by the single-scattering model, is due to speckle. The size/frequency-dependence of the reflection coefficients are well described by Eckart's [(1953). J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 25(3), 566–570] prediction for a rough surface with Gaussian-distributed surface elevations. Comparisons are made to previously reported reflection coefficient measurements.
A binaural model implementing an internal noise to predict the effect of hearing impairment on speech intelligibility in non-stationary noises
Authors: Vicente Thibault , Lavandier Mathieu , Buchholz Jörg M.
Published: November 2020

A binaural model predicting speech intelligibility in envelope-modulated noise for normal-hearing (NH) and hearing-impaired listeners is proposed. The study shows the importance of considering an internal noise with two components relying on the individual audiogram and the level of the external stimuli. The model was optimized and verified using speech reception thresholds previously measured in three experiments involving NH and hearing-impaired listeners and sharing common methods. The anechoic target, in front of the listener, was presented simultaneously through headphones with two anechoic noise-vocoded speech maskers (VSs) either co-located with the target or spatially separated using an infinite broadband interaural level difference without crosstalk between ears. In experiment 1, two stationary noise maskers were also tested. In experiment 2, the VSs were presented at different sensation levels to vary audibility. In experiment 3, the effects of realistic interaural time and level differences were also tested. The model was applied to two datasets involving NH listeners to verify its backward compatibility. It was optimized to predict the data, leading to a correlation and mean absolute error between data and predictions above 0.93 and below 1.1 dB, respectively. The different internal noise approaches proposed in the literature to describe hearing impairment are discussed.
Relationship between sensitivity to temporal fine structure and spoken language abilities in children with mild-to-moderate sensorineural hearing loss
Authors: Cabrera Laurianne , Halliday Lorna F.
Published: November 2020

Children with sensorineural hearing loss show considerable variability in spoken language outcomes. The present study tested whether specific deficits in supra-threshold auditory perception might contribute to this variability. In a previous study by Halliday, Rosen, Tuomainen, and Calcus [(2019). J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 146, 4299], children with mild-to-moderate sensorineural hearing loss (MMHL) were shown to perform more poorly than those with normal hearing (NH) on measures designed to assess sensitivity to the temporal fine structure (TFS; the rapid oscillations in the amplitude of narrowband signals over short time intervals). However, they performed within normal limits on measures assessing sensitivity to the envelope (E; the slow fluctuations in the overall amplitude). Here, individual differences in unaided sensitivity to the TFS accounted for significant variance in the spoken language abilities of children with MMHL after controlling for nonverbal intelligence quotient, family history of language difficulties, and hearing loss severity. Aided sensitivity to the TFS and E cues was equally important for children with MMHL, whereas for children with NH, E cues were more important. These findings suggest that deficits in TFS perception may contribute to the variability in spoken language outcomes in children with sensorineural hearing loss.
Towards real-world objective speech quality and intelligibility assessment using speech-enhancement residuals and convolutional long short-term memory networks
Authors: Dong Xuan , Williamson Donald S.
Published: November 2020

Objective metrics, such as the perceptual evaluation of speech quality (PESQ), short-time objective intelligibility (STOI), and signal-to-distortion ratio (SDR), are often used for evaluating speech. These metrics are intrusive since they require a reference (clean) speech signal to complete the evaluation. The need for a reference signal reduces the practicality of these metrics, since a clean reference signal is not typically available during real-world testing. In this paper, a two-stage approach is presented that estimates the objective score of these intrusive metrics in a non-intrusive manner, which enables testing in real-world environments. More specifically, objective score estimation is treated as a machine-learning problem, and the use of speech-enhancement residuals and convolutional long short-term memory (SER-CL) networks is proposed to blindly estimate the objective scores (i.e., PESQ, STOI, and SDR) of various speech signals. The approach is evaluated in simulated and real environments that contain different combinations of noise and reverberation. The results reveal that the proposed approach is a reasonable alternative for evaluating speech, where it performs well in terms of accuracy and correlation. The proposed approach also outperforms comparison approaches in several environments.