bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Oculomotor Paresis with Cyclic Spasms in Chinese Populations: A Review of the Chinese Literature and a Case Report
Authors: Nan Haitian , Li Ran , Zhu Liping , Wang Qian , Wang Jiawei , Jing Yun
Published: May 2021

Introduction: Oculomotor paresis with cyclic spasms (OPCS) is a rare disorder in which the muscles innervated by the third cranial nerve undergo alternating rhythmic spasm and paralysis. This disease is usually noticeable at birth or developing during the first year of life. To date, most of the OPCS cases reported in the English-language literature were Caucasians. Case Presentation: In this study, we review OPCS patients published in China’s high-quality journals and report 1 new case encountered in our clinic. The clinical characteristics of 29 Chinese OPCS patients are summarized. Our review demonstrates the same trend in the analysis values for the onset age, pupil, lid, eye movement, time of cycles, and preferentially involved side in Chinese OPCS patients in comparison with previous reviews. Moreover, we review a case combined with Marcus Gunn Syndrome, a case with rapid relief under oral carbamazepine treatment, and cases with atypical patterns of cyclic changes. Discussion: Our study may broaden the current knowledge and phenotypic spectrum of OPCS.
Breast Cancer-Related Neoplastic Alopecia: A Case Report and Review of the Literature
Authors: Vezzoni Roberta , Toffoli Ludovica , Conforti Claudio , Dri Arianna , Retrosi Chiara , di Meo Nicola , Magaton Rizzi Giovanni , Signoretto Diego , Zalaudek Iris
Published: May 2021

Neoplastic alopecia (NA) is defined as an organized hair loss in single or multiple areas of the scalp caused by a primary tumor that has metastasized to the skin of the scalp. Due to its localization and clinical appearance, NA should be placed in differential diagnosis with alopecia areata or other entities. To date, pathognomonic dermoscopic criteria of NA have not yet been described: the absence of classical criteria of other scalp diseases in addition to a major neovascularization with on-focus arborizing vessels and erosions or ulcerations may help the clinician to suspect a diagnosis of secondary alopecia. Dermatologists should pay more attention to these rare forms of secondarism because in exceptional cases, a simple alopecia of the scalp can hide a new, relapsing or metastatic neoplasia.
Slower Decline in Processing Speed Is Associated with Familial Longevity
Authors: Andersen Stacy L. , Du Mengtian , Cosentino Stephanie , Schupf Nicole , Rosso Andrea L. , Perls Thomas T. , Sebastiani Paola ,   the Long Life Family Study
Published: May 2021

Introduction: Cross-sectional analyses have associated familial longevity with better cognitive function and lower risk of cognitive impairment in comparison with individuals without familial longevity. The extent to which long-lived families also demonstrate slower rates of cognitive aging (i.e., change in cognition over time) is unknown. This study examined longitudinally collected data among 2 generations of the Long Life Family Study (LLFS) to compare rates of cognitive change across relatives and spouse controls. Methods: We analyzed change in 6 neuropsychological test scores collected approximately 8 years apart among LLFS family members (n = 3,972) versus spouse controls (n = 1,092) using a Bayesian hierarchical model that included age, years of follow-up, sex, education, generation, and field center and all possible pairwise interactions. Results: At a mean age of 88 years at enrollment in the older generation and 60 years in the younger generation, LLFS family members performed better than their spouses on the Digit Symbol Substitution Test (DSST) and the Logical Memory test. At follow-up, family members in the younger generation also showed slower decline than spouses on the DSST, whereas rates of change of Digit Span, fluency, and memory were similar between the 2 groups. Discussion/Conclusion: Individuals in families with longevity appear to have better cognitive performance than their spouses for cognitive processes including psychomotor processing, episodic memory, and retrieval. Additionally, they demonstrate longer cognitive health spans with a slower decline on a multifactorial test of processing speed, a task requiring the integration of processes including organized visual search, working and incidental memory, and graphomotor ability. Long-lived families may be a valuable cohort for studying resilience to cognitive aging.
Superinfections in COVID-19 Patients: Role of Antimicrobials
Authors: Nag Vijaya Lakshmi , Kaur Navneet
Published: May 2021

The coronavirus pandemic is a global health crisis of recent times and the biggest threat we have faced after the Second World War. This viral infection (COVID-19) is not the only cause of deaths in this pandemic. A usual complication of viral infections is a secondary superimposed bacterial infection or a superinfection. Based on limited published data, the relatively high incidence of severe infection and mortality in COVID-19 patients is attributed to these infections. It is reasonable to anticipate that nearly half of the patients who have died from COVID-19 had superinfection. Patients who have severe form of the disease and those requiring prolonged stay in intensive care units (ICUs) are more prone to developing super added infection by nosocomial pathogens. The most common type of infection observed among COVID-19 patients is ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP), followed by bacteremia with sepsis and urinary tract infections (UTIs). Antibiotics are commonly prescribed to keep these infections at bay which is promoting antimicrobial resistance (AMR). In developing countries like India, where there is well-established high burden of multidrug-resistant organisms in hospital settings, superinfections in COVID-19 patients can pose a biggest challenge in the treatment leading to increase mortality. There is a need of prospective studies, which should include clinical, microbiological, and epidemiological data on superinfections that can be used in forming effective antimicrobial stewardship strategies; which can have a crucial role in optimal antimicrobial prescribing.
Think Twice before Interpreting the Skin Prick Test as Age, Body Mass Index, and Atopy Affect Reaction Time and Size
Authors: Beken Burcin , Celik Velat , Gokmirza Ozdemir Pınar , Yazicioglu Mehtap
Published: May 2021

Introduction: The skin prick test (SPT) is a reliable method to confirm sensitization in IgE-mediated allergic diseases; however, it has been reported to be affected by several personal and environmental factors. Our objective was to determine the factors affecting the skin reactivity to histamine and allergens and investigate whether it differs according to age in terms of reading time. Methods: A total of 500 patients, aged 4 months–18 years, were enrolled in the study. Wheal and flare reaction sizes were documented as the mean of the longest and the midpoint perpendicular diameter in the 5th, 10th, 15th, and 20th min. Skin reactivity was compared between children >24 and ≤24 months of age. Results: We found larger histamine and allergen wheal sizes in children >24 months than the ones ≤24 months of age (p < 0.001 and p = 0.007, respectively). The duration of maximum histamine reactivity was 15 min for children >24 months whereas 10 min for children ≤24 months of age. The number of children losing their histamine reactivity after 15 and 20 min was significantly higher in the smaller age-group. Multiple regression analysis revealed a larger histamine reactivity in children >24 months of age, having obesity, and having allergen sensitization (p = 0.002, p = 0.003, and p = 0.018, respectively). Conclusion: It seems more accurate to evaluate SPT after 10 min in children ≤24 months of age. Cutoff values and ideal measurement time according to individual factors such as age, body mass index, or atopy are needed.
Protective Effects of 1,25 Dihydroxyvitamin D3 against High-Glucose-Induced Damage in Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells Involve Activation of Nrf2 Antioxidant Signaling
Authors: Wu Meifang , Wu Ying , Xu Kaizu , Lin Liming
Published: May 2021

Aim: To explore the protective effects and related mech­anisms of 1,25 dihydroxyvitamin D3 (1,25(OH)2D3) on en­dothelial dysfunction under hyperglycemic conditions. Methods: Cultured human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) were treated with normal glucose (glucose concentration of 5.5 mmol/L), high glucose (glucose concentration of 33 mmol/L), and high glucose plus 1,25(OH)2D3, respectively. Cell viability and apoptosis, intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) and nitric oxide (NO) contents, antioxidant enzyme activities, proinflammatory cytokine mRNA levels, and expression levels of proteins involved were measured. Results: High glucose decreased HUVEC viability, promoted ROS production and apoptosis, and reduced NO generation, which was associated with decreased activities of antioxidant enzymes and increased levels of proinflam­matory cytokines. 1,25(OH)2D3 treatment enhanced HUVEC viability, attenuated ROS generation and apoptosis, and ­increased NO production, which was accompanied by ­enhanced antioxidant enzyme activities and reduced ­proinflammatory factors. Mechanically, 1,25(OH)2D3 promoted nuclear translocation of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) in a vitamin D receptor (VDR)-dependent manner, and Nrf2 siRNA abolished the antioxidative and ­anti-inflammatory effects of 1,25(OH)2D3. Conclusions: 1,25(OH)2D3 attenuates high-glucose-induced endothelial oxidative injury through upregulation of the Nrf2 antioxidant pathway in a VDR-dependent manner.
Chronic Abdominal Pain: Gastroenterologist Approach
Authors: Lukic Snezana , Mijac Dragana , Filipovic Branka , Sokic-Milutinovic Aleksandra , Tomasevic Ratko , Krstic Miodrag , Milosavljevic Tomica
Published: May 2021

Background: Abdominal pain is a common symptom of gastroenterology examination. Chronic abdominal pain is present for >3 months. Summary: Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is one of the most common gastrointestinal diseases encountered by both gastroenterologists and general practitioners. GERD is usually a chronic disease presented with a set of symptoms including heartburn and/or regurgitation, and less commonly epigastric pain. Epigastric pain syndrome is characterized by the following symptoms: epigastric pain and/or burning. It does not necessarily occur after meal ingestion, may occur during fasting, and can be even improved by meal ingestion. Duodenal ulcers tend to cause abdominal pain that is localized in the epigastric region and commence several hours after eating, often at night. Hunger provokes pain in most of the cases and decreases after meal. Gastric ulcer pain occurs immediately after eating, and consuming food increases pain. Pain is localized in the epigastrium and can radiate to the back. Abdominal pain in irritable bowel syndrome is related to defecation. A typical symptom of chronic pancreatitis is pain that radiates to the back. In Crohn’s disease, inflammation causes pain. Key Messages: Pain can occur at different locations with diverse intensity and propagation and is often associated with other symptoms. For any gastroenterologist, abdominal pain is a big challenge.
Nuevos modos de protesta juvenil e indignación en Colombia
Authors: Acevedo Tarazona Álvaro , Correa Lugos Andrés David
Published: May 2021

(analítico)Desde el año 2011 la juventud es partícipe de oleadas de indignación que invitan a repensar la movilización social y el protagonismo de las redes sociales. Por tanto, es importante plantearse ¿cuáles son los impactos en las acciones colectivas y discursos empleados en dichas movilizaciones? Este artículo analiza los nuevos modos en que se generan las movilizaciones y la relevancia de las redes sociales frente a problemáticas como la defensa de la educación y la protección del medio ambiente. Basándose en una metodología cualitativa e interpretativa usando fuente periódica de prensa y revistas en formato físico y digital. La contrastación de la información permite establecer nuevos modos de movilización ante la comunidad y la opinión pública desde la virtualidad y las redes sociales.
Palabras clave: Investigación sobre los conflictos, medios de comunicación de masas, movimiento de protesta, movimiento juvenil, sensibilización ambiental.
Protección de la infancia y saberes expertos: un archivo interamericano como campo etnográfico
Authors: Rojas-Novoa Soledad
Published: May 2021

(analítico)El objetivo de este artículo es conocer y comprender los procesos de construcción del campo especializado de saberes e intervención que constituyó la protección de la infancia en América a lo largo del siglo XX. El análisis se basa en un trabajo etnográfico en el archivo del Instituto Interamericano del Niño, la Niña y Adolescentes, concretamente en una sistematización documental a partir de la cual es posible explorar diversas versiones del modelo preventivo que se expandió en la región, y sobre el cual se erigieron las «voces autorizadas» para definir a determinadas infancias como modélicas. La hipótesis de trabajo es que los idearios de progreso y desarrollo que gravitaron sobre los proyectos de sociedad en ese periodo tuvieron un impacto específico en la construcción y legitimación de tales definiciones.
Palabras clave:  Infancia, experto, etnografía, archivos, organismo internacional, América.
Experiencia de una niña de nueve años ante la separación parental
Authors: Hernández-Hernández Diana Edith , Trujano-Ruiz Patricia
Published: May 2021

(analítico)En este estudio cualitativo se describen y analizan los efectos de la separación parental, a través de la mirada y voz de una niña de nueve años. Se empleó como instrumento una entrevista semiestructurada y un análisis de resultados de tipo categórico. Las repercusiones observadas se clasificaron en efectos individuales como el manejo de la información y la construcción de explicaciones, así como una mayor independencia y mejora en su autoconcepto; y efectos en su entorno familiar, tales como la modificación en los vínculos afectivos con sus padres, dinámicas familiares más consistentes y mayores momentos de bienestar. Concluyendo que los infantes son participantes activos en la construcción de sus significados y que la separación de los padres puede permitir la generación de experiencias de crecimiento.
Palabras clave: Separación parental, divorcio, padres, niños, efectos, familia, significados, sujetos activos, participación infantil.
Tramas en la construcción de la intersectorialidad para atender la primera infancia
Authors: Ceballos Higuita Lorena , Otálvaro-Castro Gabriel Jaime
Published: May 2021

(analítico)Este artículo presenta los resultados de la investigación cualitativa realizada desde una perspectiva interpretativa-histórica, para comprender la construcción de relaciones intersectoriales en el programa de atención a la primera infancia de Medellín entre el 2004 y el 2014. Se recurrió al análisis documental y a la observación participante en espacios de gestión de políticas públicas y se implementaron entrevistas semiestructuradas a funcionarios gubernamentales y no gubernamentales. La información se analizó desde tres dimensiones interdependientes: ideológica, política y administrativa. Según los resultados, las acciones intersectoriales se ven favorecidas por la adopción del enfoque de derechos, la implementación de instrumentos de política pública y la búsqueda del posicionamiento de los servicios en la comunidad; sin embargo, estos aspectos están atravesados por tensiones derivadas del intento de articular diferentes miradas, relaciones de poder y acciones administrativas.
Palabras clave:  Primera infancia, política social, gestión, políticas, administración local, política gubernamental, intersectorialidad.
Rostos, afetos e intencionalidade: análise semiolinguística de marcas da pandemia
Authors: Feres Beatriz dos Santos , Ribeiro Patrícia Ferreira Neves , Monnerat Rosane Santos Mauro
Published: May 2021

Neste artigo, propõe-se a análise de textos verbo-visuais – uma matéria de capa de jornal e uma publicidade veiculada em revistas – que apresentam, em comum, rostos femininos marcados, em alguma medida, por indícios da pandemia de covid-19. Essa análise tem como objetivo destacar recursos discursivos que implicitam ideias, emoções e intencionalidades de acordo, sobretudo, com o imaginário sociodiscursivo partilhado pelos interagentes da troca propiciada por esses textos, no intuito de contribuir com um embasamento teórico-analítico para a elaboração de atividades de interpretação voltadas para a “Educação Midiática” proposta pela Base Nacional Comum Curricular. Tendo como fundamento a Teoria Semiolinguística de Análise do Discurso em interface com outros estudos, serão explorados, inicialmente, os conceitos de imagem como signo, imagem-sintoma e intericonicidade. A seguir, tomando mais especificamente os textos em tela, será observada a construção do ethos e da visada patêmica na discursivização.
Acute Exposure to Diesel Exhaust Increases Muscle Sympathetic Nerve Activity in Humans
Authors: Rankin Gregory D. , Kabéle Mikael , Brown Rachael , Macefield Vaughan G. , Sandström Thomas , Bosson Jenny A.
Published: May 2021

Background

Diesel exhaust (DE) emissions are a major contributor to ambient air pollution and are strongly associated with cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Exposure to traffic‐related particulate matter is linked with acute adverse cardiovascular events; however, the mechanisms are not fully understood. We examined the role of the autonomic nervous system during exposure to DE that has previously only been indirectly investigated.

Methods and Results

Using microneurography, we measured muscle sympathetic nerve activity (MSNA) directly in the peroneal nerve of 16 healthy individuals. MSNA, heart rate, and respiration were recorded while subjects rested breathing filtered air, filtered air with an exposure mask, and standardized diluted DE (300 µg/m
3
) through the exposure mask. Heart rate variability was assessed from an ECG. DE inhalation rapidly causes an increase in number of MSNA bursts as well as the size of bursts within 10 minutes, peaking by 30 minutes (
P
<0.001), compared with baseline filtered air with an exposure mask. No significant changes occurred in heart rate variability indices during DE exposure; however, MSNA frequency correlated negatively with total power (
r
2
=0.294,
P
=0.03) and low frequency (
r
2
=0.258,
P
=0.045). Heart rate correlated positively with MSNA frequency (
r
2
=0.268,
P
=0.04) and the change in percentage of larger bursts (burst amplitude, height >50% of the maximum burst) from filtered air with an exposure mask (
r
2
=0.368,
P
=0.013).

Conclusions

Our study provides direct evidence for the rapid modulation of the autonomic nervous system after exposure to DE, with an increase in MSNA. The quick increase in sympathetic outflow may explain the strong epidemiological data associating traffic‐related particulate matter to acute adverse cardiovascular events such as myocardial infarction.

Registration

URL:
https://www.clinicaltrials.gov
; Unique identifier: NCT02892279.
Short‐Term Effects of Particle Size and Constituents on Blood Pressure in Healthy Young Adults in Guangzhou, China
Authors: Guo Peng‐Yue , He Zhi‐Zhou , Jalaludin Bin , Knibbs Luke D. , Leskinen Ari , Roponen Marjut , Komppula Mika , Jalava Pasi , Hu Li‐Wen , Chen Gongbo , Zeng Xiao‐Wen , Yang Bo‐Yi , Dong Guang‐Hui
Published: May 2021

Background

Although several studies have focused on the associations between particle size and constituents and blood pressure, results have been inconsistent.

Methods and Results

We conducted a panel study, between December 2017 and January 2018, in 88 healthy university students in Guangzhou, China. Weekly systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure were measured for each participant for 5 consecutive weeks, resulting in a total of 440 visits. Mass concentrations of particles with an aerodynamic diameter of ≤2.5 µm (PM
2.5
), ≤1.0 µm (PM
1.0
), ≤0.5 µm (PM
0.5
), ≤0.2 µm (PM
0.2
), and number concentrations of airborne particulates of diameter ≤0.1 μm were measured. Linear mixed‐effect models were used to estimate the associations between blood pressure and particles and PM
2.5
constituents 0 to 48 hours before blood pressure measurement. PM of all the fractions in the 0.2‐ to 2.5‐μm range were positively associated with systolic blood pressure in the first 24 hours, with the percent changes of effect estimates ranging from 3.5% to 8.8% for an interquartile range increment of PM. PM
0.2
was also positively associated with diastolic blood pressure, with an increase of 5.9% (95% CI, 1.0%–11.0%) for an interquartile range increment (5.8 μg/m
3
) at lag 0 to 24 hours. For PM
2.5
constituents, we found positive associations between chloride and diastolic blood pressure (1.7% [95% CI, 0.1%–3.3%]), and negative associations between vanadium and diastolic blood pressure (−1.6% [95% CI, −3.0% to −0.1%]).

Conclusions

Both particle size and constituent exposure are significantly associated with blood pressure in the first 24 hours following exposure in healthy Chinese adults.
Circadian Biology and Stroke
Authors: Lo Eng H. , Albers Gregory W. , Dichgans Martin , Donnan Geoffrey , Esposito Elga , Foster Russell , Howells David W. , Huang Yi-Ge , Ji Xunming , Klerman Elizabeth B. , Lee Sarah , Li Wenlu , Liebeskind David S. , Lizasoain Ignacio , Mandeville Emiri T. , Moro Maria A. , Ning MingMing , Ray David , Sakadžić Sava , Saver Jeffrey L. , Scheer Frank A.J.L. , Selim Magdy , Tiedt Steffen , Zhang Fang , Buchan Alastair M.
Published: May 2021

Circadian biology modulates almost all aspects of mammalian physiology, disease, and response to therapies. Emerging data suggest that circadian biology may significantly affect the mechanisms of susceptibility, injury, recovery, and the response to therapy in stroke. In this review/perspective, we survey the accumulating literature and attempt to connect molecular, cellular, and physiological pathways in circadian biology to clinical consequences in stroke. Accounting for the complex and multifactorial effects of circadian rhythm may improve translational opportunities for stroke diagnostics and therapeutics.
Central Nervous System Fibroblast-Like Cells in Stroke and Other Neurological Disorders
Authors: Xu Lingling , Yao Yao
Published: May 2021

Fibroblasts are the most common cell type of connective tissues. In the central nervous system (CNS), fibroblast-like cells are mainly located in the meninges and perivascular Virchow-Robin space. The origins of these fibroblast-like cells and their functions in both CNS development and pathological conditions remain largely unknown. In this review, we first introduce the anatomic location and molecular markers of CNS fibroblast-like cells. Next, the functions of fibroblast-like cells in CNS development and neurological disorders, including stroke, CNS traumatic injuries, and other neurological diseases, are discussed. Third, current challenges and future directions in the field are summarized. We hope to provide a synthetic review that stimulates future research on CNS fibroblast-like cells.
Europe’s Seminal Proto-Fascist? Historically Approaching Ziya Gökalp, Mentor of Turkish Nationalism
Authors: Kieser Hans-Lukas
Published: May 2021

This essay considers Ziya Gökalp, the received “spiritual father of Turkish nationalism”, as an early mastermind of fascism in Greater Europe. During the 1910s, Gökalp acted as a prophet of expansive war and as a mentor of demographic engineering in the Ottoman capital, Istanbul, which was a laboratory for new political styles in a crisis-ridden empire. Gökalp’s thinking longed for a supreme leader in an army-like, disciplined and hierarchised society, while it rejected a social contract-based nation and state. An influential inspiration for and beyond the new élites in the capital, Gökalp combined the call for radical modernisation according to “European civilisation” with an assertive essentialism based on völkisch (cultural-racial-ethnic Turkish) and religious (political Islamic) references. He was the chief ideologist of the Young Turk party-state (1913–18) – side by side with Talaat Pasha, its main executive leader – and “the father of my thoughts” for Kemal Atatürk.
Micropylar and Perimicropylar Regions of the Egg Exochorion in Six Genera of Dismorphiinae (Lepidoptera: Pieridae)
Authors: NIEVES-URIBE SANDRA , LLORENTE-BOUSQUETS JORGE , FLORES-GALLARDO ADRIÁN
Published: May 2021

Using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), we examine and compare the micropylar and perimicropylar regions of the egg exochorion in six genera of the subfamily Dismorphiinae (Pieridae): Leptidea Billberg, Enantia Hübner, Pseudopieris Godman & Salvin, Lieinix Gray, Dismorphia Hübner, and Moschoneura Butler. We provide the first descriptions of the morphological structures of the chorion in these genera. Leptidea is the most primitive genus, and Dismorphia represents the most diverse. We examined the jethys complex of Enantia to study diversity of characters within the genus. We conclude that the exochorion of Dismorphiinae is the most plesiomorphic in relation to Coliadinae and Pierinae, owing to its simple morphology without a transition zone surrounding the wreath (perimicropylar region). Leptidea (Leptideini) shows the least derived characters of the subfamily, followed by Enantia (Dismorphiini). The latter genus exhibits several typical characters of the tribe that are distinctive from other more specialized genera. Exochorionic similarities among the four species of the jethys complex support their close relationship; E. mazai exhibits the most derived features among the species of the complex. Pseudopieris and Moschoneura exhibit several plesiomorphies, such as a large number of openings (micro-grid), but they also show some derived features, such as three semi-rings in the wreath. Dismorphia and Lieinix exhibit characters in their most derived states, such as a striated micro-grid (most conspicuous in Lieinix) and basal aeropyles (most conspicuous in Dismorphia), a character shared with Moschoneura. The purpose of this work is exploratory and descriptive and would be improved by a larger sample size. This contribution is the third in a series of studies on the chorion of Dismorphiinae eggs.
Review of Insulestremia Jaschhof, 2004 (Diptera; Cecidomyiidae; Lestremiinae) with description of two new species from Brazil
Authors: CARMO-NETO ANTONIO MARCELINO DO , LAMAS CARLOS JOSÉ EINICKER , URSO-GUIMARÃES MARIA VIRGINIA
Published: May 2021

This study presents the first records of the subfamily Lestremiinae and the genus Insulestremia Jaschhof in Brazil. Insulestremia, a previously monotypic genus described from the Galapagos Islands, has three species in Brazil: I. sinclairi Jaschhof, I. amorimi sp. nov. and I. amenti sp. nov. The new species are described, the generic concept is reviewed, and a key to the species of Insulestremia is provided.
Increased impact of the Tibetan Plateau Spring Snow Cover to the Meiyu Rainfall over the Yangtze River Valley after 1990s
Authors: Zhang Chao , Jia XiaoJing , Wen Zhiping
Published: May 2021

This study investigated the increased impact of the spring (March-April-May) snow cover extent (SCE) over the western Tibetan Plateau (TP) (SSTP) to the Meiyu rainfall (June-July, JJ) over the Yangtze River valley (YRV) (MRYRV) after 1990s. The correlation between the MRYRV and SSTP is significantly increased from 1970-1992 (P1) to 1993-2015 (P2). In P1, the MRYRV-related SSTP anomalies locate southwest TP which cause a perturbation near the SWJ core and favor an eastward propagation in the form of a wave train. The wave train results in a southward shift of the SWJ over the ocean south of Japan in JJ and exerts a limited effect on the MRYRV. Differently, in P2, the MRYRV-related anomalous SSTP causes an anomalous cooling temperature and upper-level cyclonic system centered over the northwestern TP. The cyclonic system develops and extends eastward to the downstream region with time and reaches coastal East Asia in JJ. The anomalous westerly winds along its south flank cause an enhanced subtropical westerly jet (SWJ) which is accompanied by an anomalous lower-level air convergence and ascent motion near the YRV region, favoring enhanced MRYRV. In addition, the forecast experiments performed with empirical regression models illustrate that the prediction skill of the MRYRV variation is clearly increased in P2 with the additional forecast factor of the SSTP.
Assimilation Impact of Early FORMOSAT-7/COSMIC-2 GNSS Radio Occultation Data with Taiwan’s CWB Global Forecast System
Authors: Lien Guo-Yuan , Lin Chung-Han , Huang Zih-Mao , Teng Wen-Hsin , Chen Jen-Her , Lin Ching-Chieh , Ho Hsu-Hui , Huang Jyun-Ying , Hong Jing-Shan , Cheng Chia-Ping , Huang Ching-Yuang
Published: May 2021

The FORMOSAT-7/COSMIC-2 Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) Radio Occultation (RO) satellite constellation was launched on June 2019 as a successor of the FORMOSAT-3/COSMIC mission. The Central Weather Bureau (CWB) of Taiwan has received FORMOSAT-7/COSMIC-2 GNSS RO data in real time from Taiwan Analysis Center for COSMIC. With the global numerical prediction system at CWB, a parallel semi-operational experiment assimilating the FORMOSAT-7/COSMIC-2 bending angle data with all other operational observation data has been conducted to evaluate the impact of the FORMOSAT-7/COSMIC-2 data. The first seven-month results show that the quality of the early FORMOSAT-7/COSMIC-2 data has been satisfactory for assimilation. Consistent and significant positive impacts on global forecast skills have been observed since the start of the parallel experiment, with the most significant impact found in the tropical region, reflecting the low-inclination orbital design of the satellites. The impact of the FORMOSAT-7/COSMIC-2 RO data is also estimated using the Ensemble Forecast Sensitivity to Observation Impact (EFSOI) method, showing an average positive impact per observation similar to other existing GNSS RO datasets, while the total impact is impressive by virtue of its large amount. Sensitivity experiments suggest that the quality control processes built in the Gridpoint Statistical Interpolation (GSI) system for RO data work well to achieve a positive impact by the low-level FORMOSAT-7/COSMIC-2 RO data, while more effort on observation error tuning should be focused to obtain an optimal assimilation performance. This study demonstrates the usefulness of the FORMOSAT-7/COSMIC-2 RO data in global numerical weather prediction during the calibration/validation period and leads to the operational use of the data at CWB.
Order from Chaos: How Networked Activists Self-Organize by Creating a Participation Architecture
Authors: Massa Felipe G. , O’Mahony Siobhan
Published: May 2021

Collectives attempting to self-organize without relying on managerial control can leverage open, digital networks to foster information exchange and agility. But, as collectives grow, the open boundaries that enable the mobilization of participants and rapid exchange of ideas can give rise to new organizing challenges that make collective action untenable. We examine this tension by exploring how networked activists self-organize through open, digital networks to achieve shared aims without belonging to a common organization that supports their cause. With a seven-year, inductive field and archival study, we capture how activists from the Anonymous collective organized 70 protest actions while struggling to integrate newcomers and coordinate increasingly complex activities. Rather than succumb to chaos or managerial control, Anonymous learned to self-organize, gradually abandoning normative forms of control in favor of forms of architectural control. By creating a participation architecture—a sociotechnical framework that empowered technical experts and unobtrusively channeled newcomers to designated forums—networked activists enhanced their collective ability to coordinate complex, interdependent actions at scale. Our grounded theoretical model reveals how the challenges of self-organizing emerge with rapid growth and how these can be overcome by configuring architectural control.
The paradox of citizen grievances in China: an institutional logics perspective
Authors: Kong Fanyi , Su Xuhong
Published: May 2021

Grievance petitioning is a prevailing venue for voicing citizens’ discontent and seeking redress in China. Extant literature documents the simultaneous growth of citizen petitions and local containment, without addressing the dynamics of such a paradox. Inspired by the institutional logics perspective, this study surveyed over 300 onsite petitioners and explored how multiple institutional logics are at work and together produce the paradox. Citizens embrace the grassroots logic, flooding petitions into the grievance system. Local governments follow the state logic, engaging in comprehensive containment. Grievance agencies cope strategically with the rise of citizen petitions and bureaucratic influences, demonstrating the ombudsman logic. Despite local containment and often less than satisfactory resolutions, citizens still hold favorable attitudes toward the grievance system, as well as the top bureaucracy, thus sowing the seeds for more petitions. The paradox manifests the coexistence and interactions of multiple institutional logics, raising challenges for governance and accountability.

Points for practitioners

The simultaneous growth of citizens’ grievances and local containment presents a paradox. Citizens follow the grassroots logic, filing more petitions. Local governments adhere to the state logic, prescribing containment efforts. In face of competing demands, grievance agencies embrace the ombudsman logic. The coexistence of and interactions among different logics help to explain the recurrent patterns for all parties. Future reforms need to be designed with a sophisticated understanding of interactive institutional logics.
Religious Identification on Facebook Visuals and (Online) Out-group Intolerance: Experimenting the Sri Lankan Case
Authors: Hasangani Sandunika
Published: May 2021

Following several online and offline ethno-religious tensions in 2018 and 2019, social media (Facebook in particular) has become one of the scapegoats for instigating ethnic intolerance in Sri Lanka. Conjecture suggests that increased religious commitment and frequently shared religious expressions on social media are responsible for provoking ethnic intolerance. Against that backdrop, the present study investigates to what extent Facebook graphics expressing out-group intolerance are associated with in-group religious identification by analysing a sample of graphics posted on Facebook by a Sinhala-Buddhist community from 2011 to 2018. The findings reject the religious rationale and reveal that increased in-group religious identification does not necessarily characterize ethnically intolerant visual content on Facebook. Instead, online ethnic intolerance can be better attributed to threat perceptions and conspiracy theories.
Who Controls the Past Controls the Future: How Algeria Manipulated History and Legitimated Power Using its Constitutional Charters and Legislation
Authors: Tamburini Francesco
Published: May 2021

Contemporary Algeria was born after 132 years of colonization and a bloody decolonization war that lasted almost eight years. The official version and the dominant historical narrative of the war of independence has been influencing the state-owned media, the process of memorialization and the education system for years. This article will focus on how history was manipulated and used to legitimate political power using ordinary legislation as well as the highest source of law: the constitution. This article argues that by studying Algerian legislation and the various constitutional charters we can obtain key insight into ways in which the triad of the state, the party, and the army has been able to reproduce and re-appropriate symbols and narratives of the nation through constitutional measures and/or amendments.
Colonial Exceptions: The International Labour Organization and Child Labour in British Africa, c.1919–40
Authors: Hepburn Sacha , Jackson April
Published: May 2021

From 1919, the International Labour Organization sought to improve protections for workers globally. Concurrently, the organization was dominated by colonial powers whose economies relied on the exploitation of colonized workers. This article explores how the International Labour Organization navigated this contradictory situation during the interwar period, focussing on its approach to child labour in British Africa. The introduction of a universal minimum employment age and the abolition of child labour were founding goals of the International Labour Organization. However, colonial powers wanted to maintain the extensive employment of children and the use of child labour in their colonies. Britain used its influence within the International Labour Organization to promote racialized constructions of childhood and to pluralize working children’s rights in International Labour Organization instruments. While the International Labour Organization’s tripartite structure did also provide a forum through which colonial labour practices could be challenged, Britain and its supporters ultimately succeeded in constructing a two-tier system of international labour law which rendered colonized children less protected than children in the industrialized West. In creating colonial exceptions, the International Labour Organization pursued and promoted a hierarchical and exclusionary form of internationalism. Overall, the article provides new insights into the development of the International Labour Organization and its legislation, as well as broader histories of childhood and of internationalism.
What Constitutes a “Good Death”?—A Representative Cross-Sectional Survey Among the General Public in Croatia
Authors: Borovečki Ana , Nikodem Krunoslav , Ćurković Marko , Braš Marijana , Palić-Kramarić Ružica , Špoljar Diana , Matulić Tonči , Grosek Štefan , Tonković Dinko
Published: May 2021

Understanding the attitudes of a particular society on a “good death” is important when it comes to end-of-life decision-making and palliative care. In the Republic of Croatia no systematic research has been done on the attitudes of the general population about the concept of a “good death”. This cross sectional survey was conducted on a three-stage random sample, stratified by regions, counties and locations within those counties (N = 1203) during November and December, 2019. ANOVA, to determine differences, factor analysis and multiple regression analysis were used. The most important characteristics of a good death outlined by the respondents were: the absence of pain, the presence and unencumberedness of family and loved ones, the importance of a sense of fulfilment and meaning in life in this regard, reconciliation with God, the presence of awareness and sobriety, and the possibility of treatment.
Cognitive and Emotional Processes and Life Satisfaction of Korean Adults With Childhood Abuse Experience According to the Level of Emotional Expressiveness
Authors: Lee Sinhye , Kim Boyoung
Published: May 2021

This study evaluates a hypothesized model describing the cognitive and emotional processes of childhood abuse and its influence on life satisfaction and explores the moderating effect of emotional expressivity in Korean young adults. The mediating roles of early maladaptive schema and state anxiety are explored, and the level of life satisfaction is compared according to the emotional expressivity level. A total of 550 young adults completed self-reported questionnaires, including Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ-SF), Young Schema Questionnaire (YSQ-SF), State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI-Y), Satisfaction With Life Scale (SWLS), and Emotional Expressivity Scale (EES). The mediating roles of early maladaptive schema and state anxiety between childhood abuse and life satisfaction are confirmed. In the low emotional expressivity group, the double-mediation effect of early maladaptive schema and state anxiety is confirmed, whereas for the high emotional expressivity group, the mediating roles of each early maladaptive schema and state anxiety are confirmed, as well as the double-mediation effect. Moreover, the high emotional expressivity group showed higher life satisfaction. The study results imply that even though expressing emotions does not result in immediate mood elevation, but eventually leads to higher life satisfaction. The implications, limitations, and suggestions are discussed.
Chitosan nanoparticles as a promising candidate for liver injury induced by 2-nitropropane: Implications of P53, iNOS, VEGF, PCNA, and CD68 pathways
Authors: Shaheen Sameerah , Arafah Maha M , Alshanwani Aliah R , Fadda Laila Mohammed , Alhusaini Ahlam M , Ali Hanaa M , Hasan Iman H , Hagar Hanan , Alharbi Fatima MB , AlHarthii Alaa
Published: May 2021

The current article was designed to assess the role of chitosan nanoparticles (CNPs) in the management of hepatic injury induced by the hepatocarcinogen 2-nitropropane (2-NP). Rats were divided into three groups. The first group served as a control, the second group was injected with 2-NP, while the third group was treated with CNPs 1 h before 2-NP injection every other day for 4 weeks. The 2-NP injection upregulated serum AST and ALT activities, as well as hepatic TNF- α, IL-6, and MDA levels and the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and caspase-3, whereas GSH contents and SOD activity were decreased. Immunohistochemistry investigations revealed that the hepatic protein expression of collagen I, inducible nitric oxide synthetase, proliferating cell nuclear antigen, cluster of differentiation, and p53 were upregulated. hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) and Masson’s trichrome stains supported the previous parameters, and CNPs ameliorated most of the previous biochemical parameters. CNPs achieved promising results in the limitation of 2-NP hepatotoxicity.
Counter-talk as symbolic boundary drawing: Challenging legitimate cultural practices in individual and focus group interviews in the lower regions of social space
Authors: Heikkilä Riie , Katainen Anu
Published: May 2021

In qualitative interviews, challenges such as deviations from the topic, interruptions, silences or counter-questions are inevitable. It is debatable whether the researcher should try to alleviate them or consider them as important indicators of power relations. In this methodological article, we adopt the latter view and examine the episodes of counter-talk that emerge in qualitative interviews on cultural practices among underprivileged popular classes by drawing on 49 individual and focus group interviews conducted in the highly egalitarian context of Finland. Our main aim is to demonstrate how counter-talk emerging in interview situations could be fruitfully analysed as moral boundary drawing. We identify three types of counter-talk: resisting the situation, resisting the topic, and resisting the interviewer. While the first type unites many of the typical challenges inherent to qualitative interviewing in general (silences, deviations from the topic and so forth), the second one shows that explicit taste distinctions are an important feature of counter-talk, yet the interviewees mostly discuss them as something belonging to the personal sphere. Finally, the third type reveals how the strongest counter-talk and clearest moral boundary stemmed from the interviewees’ attitudes towards the interviewer herself. We argue that counter-talk in general should be given more importance as a key element of the qualitative interview. We demonstrate that all three types of counter-talk are crucial to properly understanding the power relations and moral boundaries present in qualitative interviews and that cultural practices are a particularly good topic to tease them out.
The Religious Perfectionism Scale: A Cross-cultural Psychometric Evaluation Among Christians in the United States
Authors: Wang Kenneth T. , Kang Miriam S. , Lee Hsiu-Chi , Sipan Irene
Published: May 2021

The Religious Perfectionism Scale (RPS) was first developed among Chinese Buddhists, Christians, and Muslims. It consists of the following two subscales: Zealous Religious Dedication and Religious Self-Criticism. In this study, a cross-cultural psychometric evaluation of RPS was performed in a US Christian sample ( N = 233). The confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) results presented a strong data-to-model fit statistics for the two-factor oblique model (CFI = .977, SRMR = .051, RMSEA = .034) in the US sample. The measurement of invariance between US and Chinese samples was examined by multiple-group CFA. The results indicated that the RPS fulfilled invariance for factor loadings and residual variances, but intercepts were partially invariant. The internal consistency reliability coefficients for the two subscales were adequate (above .70). The construct validity test results confirmed our hypotheses that the ZRD was positively correlated with Religious Commitment ( r = .56), and the RSC was positively correlated with Scrupulosity ( r = .58). Overall results suggest that the RPS is a promising measure of religious perfectionism for Christians in the United States. The implications of this were discussed.
Experimental and numerical validation of a proportional solenoid valve based on the data-driven model
Authors: Ma Kaiwen , Xi Junqiang , Ren Yanfei , Liu Yanyu , Meng Fei
Published: May 2021

Solenoid valves are widely used in mechatronics, robotic systems and industrial occasions. An accurate model is very important for the design and control of a solenoid valve. The dynamical model of the solenoid valve is difficult to obtain due to the complexity of the structure and the interaction of multiple physical fields. This paper proposes two kinds of model of solenoid valve: grey box model and black box model, on the basis of experimental data. ARX model is selected as the basic structure of the grey box model. After clustering the data with the fuzzy c-means algorithm, the overall experimental data is divided into several local linear sub-models, and the model coefficients of the local linear model are obtained by partial least square regression. The overall expression of the model is obtained by combining the local sub-models with membership degree. For the black box model, support vector regression algorithm is used to identify. On the basis of selecting the appropriate parameters, we obtain the black box model of solenoid valve based on data. For the above two models, we carry out experimental verification and error analysis, and compare with the traditional modelling method. According to the results, it can be seen that on the basis of the experimental data, using the data-driven method to construct the model has many advantages, avoiding complex physical analysis, and has high accuracy. The model with high precision will be used in the accurate control and observing estimation of the solenoid valve.