bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Performance-Based Pay: Investigating its International Prevalence in Light of National Contexts
Authors: Aoki Naomi , Rawat Stuti
Published: May 2020

Performance-based pay is a popular technique in public management, but its international prevalence remains poorly evidenced. This study asks to what extent countries are using performance-based pay and how local contexts matter to its adoption status. Focusing on the education sector, we report on the varying degrees to which teacher appraisals have been used and linked with monetary rewards across countries as of 2012. We found that performance-based pay tended to be used more in less liberal economies, in cultures with a lower degree of uncertainty avoidance and a higher degree of individualism, in those with more decentralized educational systems, and surprisingly, in places where teachers exert greater influence. Our results suggest that some country contexts matter to the prevalence pattern of performance-based pay, and they offer policy makers some insights into the debate on whether a managerial technique like this, used in other countries, is transferrable to their own national context.
Association between interleukin-8 −251A/T polymorphism and the risk of tuberculosis: A meta-analysis
Authors: Hu Qin , Hua Haibo , Zhou Lihong , Zou Xingwu
Published: May 2020

Objective

The relationship between interleukin-8 ( IL8) −251A/T polymorphism and tuberculosis (TB) risk remains controversial. Therefore, the present meta-analysis was performed by retrieving relevant studies from the available literature.

Methods

We comprehensively searched three databases to identify eligible literature on the relationship of IL8 −251A/T polymorphism with TB risk, calculated pooled odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI), and subsequent evaluated the heterogeneity and publication bias.

Results

We found that IL8 −251A/T polymorphism increased TB risk (AA vs. TT: OR = 2.86, 95%CI: 1.46–5.60; AT vs. TT: OR = 1.64, 95%CI: 1.15–2.34; dominant model: OR = 1.88, 95%CI: 1.24–2.86; recessive model: OR = 1.77, 95%CI: 1.17–2.69). Subgroup analyses based on race revealed that the IL8 −251A/T polymorphism might be associated with the risk of TB in African but not Asian individuals.

Conclusion

The IL8 −251A/T polymorphism might be related to the risk of TB. Nevertheless, large-scale studies should be performed to confirm the role of IL8 −251A/T polymorphism on TB risk.
Does Age Itself Have an Adverse Effect on Survivorship of Meniscal Allograft Transplantation? A Cartilage Status and Time From Previous Meniscectomy–Matched Cohort Study
Authors: Song Ju-Ho , Bin Seong-Il , Kim Jong-Min , Lee Bum-Sik , Son Dong-Wook
Published: May 2020

Background:

The aging process is accompanied by several conditions that could affect the outcome of meniscal allograft transplantation (MAT). These conditions have made it difficult for clinicians to determine the effect of chronologic age on survivorship after MAT.

Hypothesis:

Advanced age does not have an adverse effect on survivorship of MAT when controlling for age-related factors, such as cartilage status and time from previous meniscectomy.

Study Design:

Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3.

Methods:

The records of 264 consecutive patients who underwent primary medial or lateral MAT were reviewed. To check whether there was a difference in MAT survivorship according to age, a cutoff value was calculated from a time-dependent receiver operating characteristic curve. Survival rates, as well as clinical improvement as determined using the Lysholm score, were compared between groups divided by the cutoff value. Patients were matched for cartilage status and elapsed time from previous meniscectomy. Differences in survivorship and clinical outcomes were assessed between the matched groups.

Results:

A time-dependent receiver operating characteristic curve showed that the difference in MAT survivorship was maximized with a cutoff age of 43 years. Kaplan-Meier analysis showed a significant difference in MAT survivorship between the older and younger groups (log-rank test, P = .01). However, after matching for cartilage status and time from previous meniscectomy, which left 56 patients per group, there was no significant difference in MAT survivorship (log-rank test, P = .10) between the groups. Regarding clinical outcomes, the mean Lysholm scores were not significantly different between the older and younger groups ( P = .19, before matching; P = .39, after matching).

Conclusion:

MAT survivorship was more affected by age-related prognostic factors, such as cartilage status and time from previous meniscectomy, than age itself. Clinical outcomes did not show differences according to age, either.
Factors Related to the Quality of Life in Family Carers of People With Dementia: A Meta-Analysis
Authors: Contreras Milena L. , Mioshi Eneida , Kishita Naoko
Published: May 2020

Objectives:

This meta-analysis aimed to (1) quantitatively synthesize evidence of factors related to the quality of life (QoL) of family carers of people with dementia and (2) explore moderating factors that may influence the strength of the relationship between such potential predictive factors and carer QoL.

Methods:

Studies that investigated correlations between patient/carer factors and QoL in unpaid family carers of people with dementia and were published in English, Spanish, Portuguese, or Japanese were included.

Results:

Thirty-three studies were identified. The pooled correlations with carer QoL (effect size) were significantly large for depression (−0.58), significantly moderate for subjective burden (−0.47), and significantly small for people with dementia’s neuropsychiatric symptoms (−0.24). These results indicated to be robust in the context of publication bias. The results of subgroup analyses demonstrated the social and economic development status of the country where study participants resided did not moderate these effects.

Conclusion:

Carer depression, subjective burden, and people with dementia’s neuropsychiatric symptoms may play a critical role in maintaining QoL of family carers regardless of the social and economic circumstances.
Cybernetic times: Norbert Wiener, John Stroud, and the ‘brain clock’ hypothesis
Authors: Schmidgen Henning
Published: May 2020

In 1955, Norbert Wiener suggested a sociological model according to which all forms of culture ultimately depended on the temporal coordination of human activities, in particular their synchronization. The basis for Wiener’s model was provided by his insights into the temporal structures of cerebral processes. This article reconstructs the historical context of Wiener’s ‘brain clock’ hypothesis, largely via his dialogues with John W. Stroud and other scholars working at the intersection of neurophysiology, experimental psychology, and electrical engineering. Since the 19th century, physiologists and psychologists have been conducting experimental investigations into the relation between time and the brain. Using innovative instruments and technologies, Stroud rehearsed these experiments, in part without paying any attention at all to the experimental traditions involved. Against this background, this article argues that the novelty of Wiener’s model relies largely on his productive rephrasing of physiological and psychological findings that had been established long before the Second World War.
More than a case of mistaken identity: Adult entertainment and the making of early sexology
Authors: Bull Sarah
Published: May 2020

Sexology emerged as a discipline during a period of keen concern about the social effects of sexually explicit media. In this context, sex researchers and their allies took pains to establish the respectability of their work, a process that often involved positioning sexual science in opposition to erotic literature and images. This article argues that this presentation of sexual science obfuscated sex researchers’ complex relationship with erotic print culture, which during the late 19th and early 20th centuries provided sexual scientists with access to explicit material that served as evidence for theories about human sexuality, facilitated transnational exchanges of sexual-scientific thought by bringing sex research across borders, and introduced sex research to wider audiences. Erotic print culture can thus be seen as one of several fields that contributed to the interdisciplinary development of sexology and facilitated the diffusion of sexual-scientific theories. Sex researchers’ shifting, often ambivalent relationship with erotic print and its producers emphasizes that while the boundaries of sexology were extremely porous, they were also heavily policed: Working to establish a modern, respectable new branch of science, sexual scientists reframed the output of other fields of enquiry as products of their own, blotted their reliance on these sources from the historical record, and denigrated them in public writing.
Kinsey and the psychoanalysts: Cross-disciplinary knowledge production in post-war US sex research
Authors: Sutton Katie
Published: May 2020

The historical forces of war and migration impacted heavily on the disciplinary locations, practitioners, and structures of sexology and psychoanalysis that had developed in the first decades of the 20th century. By the late 1940s, the US was fast becoming the world centre of each of these prominent fields within the modern human sciences. During these years, the work of Alfred C. Kinsey and his team became synonymous with a distinctly North American brand of empirical sex research. This article offers the most nuanced account to date of the shifting relationship between these two fields in the late 1940s to mid 1950s. It argues that this was more collaborative and mutually influential than previous historians have assumed, even as, following the publication of the first ‘Kinsey report’, tensions grew between the Indiana team and the conservative brand of psychoanalysis that by this stage dominated 1950s North American psychiatry. A keen sense of professional competitiveness accelerated the growing split between these two fields, as Kinsey’s team developed a distinctly modern, technologized brand of statistically oriented sexology that contrasted with the older patient case history, and assumed a very different approach to conservative analysts on ideas of homosexuality and ‘normal’ sexual behaviour. Yet this story of divergence is also tempered through consideration of other aspects of ‘situated knowledge’ such as religion and gender identity, even as accounts of cross-disciplinary competitiveness are expanded by contrasting Kinsey’s positions on psychoanalysis with those of contemporaries such as Harry Benjamin.
Thymoquinone is a protective agent that reduces the negative effects of doxorubicin in rat testis
Authors: Öztürk E , Kaymak E , Akin AT , Karabulut D , Ünsal H Murat , Yakan B
Published: May 2020

Background:

Doxorubicin (DOX) is used for treatment of many cancer types. Thymoquinone (THQ) is a powerful antioxidant agent used for reducing side effects of several drugs. The aim of this study is to determine possible therapeutic effects of THQ on doxorubicin-induced testicular toxicity in rats.

Methods:

Rats were divided into five groups ( n = 8): control, THQ, olive oil, DOX (a single dose of 15 mg/kg intraperitoneally (i.p.) on seventh day of the experiment), and DOX + THQ (10 mg/kg THQ per day and 15 mg/kg DOX i.p. on seventh day). Animals were euthanized, and testis tissues were evaluated histopathologically. Caspase 3 and HSP90 immunostaining were performed to determine the expression levels of these proteins among groups. Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase 2′-deoxyuridine, 5′-triphosphate nick-end labeling method was used for evaluation of apoptotic index. Moreover, serum testosterone levels and total antioxidant status (TAS) and total oxidant status (TOS) in testicular tissue were measured by ELISA assay.

Results:

The DOX group had histopathological deterioration compared to the control group. There was an increase in apoptotic index, caspase 3 and HSP90 expressions in the DOX group. While TAS level of the DOX group decreased, TOS level increased when compared with the other groups. Serum testosterone levels in the DOX group decreased compared to the control group. However, there was improvement in testicular tissue in DOX + THQ group compared to the DOX group. There was a decrease in apoptotic index, caspase 3, and HSP90 expressions in DOX + THQ group compared to the DOX group. Testosterone level of DOX + THQ significantly increased compared to the DOX group.

Conclusion:

We suggest that THQ can be used as a protective agent to reduce the toxic effects of DOX.
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Is Highly Comorbid With Adult ADHD in Alcohol Use Disorder Inpatients
Authors: El Ayoubi Hussein , Brunault Paul , Barrault Servane , Maugé Damien , Baudin Grégoire , Ballon Nicolas , El-Hage Wissam
Published: May 2020

Objective: Increasing number of studies show an association between adult ADHD (a-ADHD) and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). We explored this association in alcohol use disorder (AUD) inpatients. Method: In total, 551 inpatients cross-sectionally completed self-administered questionnaires regarding sociodemographics, lifetime trauma exposure, PTSD Checklist for DSM-5, Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale (ASRS), and Wender Utah Rating Scale (WURS). We considered self-reported a-ADHD when ASRS and WURS had significant scores. Results: Prevalence for a-ADHD was 20%. PTSD prevalence was higher in a-ADHD patients (84% vs. 40%; p < .001). They also were younger ( p < .001) and women ( p = .015). Adult ADHD was associated with more traumatic events, and symptoms were correlated with PTSD severity. After adjusting for age, gender and marital status, PTSD severity was associated with a-ADHD. Conclusion: Our study confirms that a-ADHD is associated with PTSD in AUD inpatients, and thus, may represent a specific subpopulation. Future studies should explore implication of this dual diagnosis on AUD and treatment outcome.
“We are not like those who/…/sit in the woods and drink”: The making of drinking spaces by youth
Authors: Ander Birgitta , Wilińska Monika
Published: May 2020

This article applies the concepts of place and space to understand youth and their engagement in risky behavior, such as drunkenness. It is based on the prolonged engagement with 23 underage youth coming from smaller municipalities in the south of Sweden. The study was comprised of semi-structured interviews, field visits, and observations at sites relevant for youths. In the stories narrated by youth, drunkenness is no longer an ad hoc activity conducted somewhere at the margins of society. The construction of drinking spaces was accomplished through highly managed, monitored, and organized practices, such as sending out invitations in advance, planning how much alcohol to drink, designating drivers, and securing transport means. Crucial to this was that spaces were products of relations existing between various youth, with no adults present. Spaces of drinking changed as those who participated in their construction changed. In addition, certain rules and codes of conduct (e.g. taking care of friends who drunk too much) were enforced to assure that the constructed spaces provided a sense of safety and enabled having fun. We conclude this article by arguing that a focus on place and space brings forward vital aspects in understanding the role of transforming party spaces that would otherwise remain obscure to social work knowledge and practice.
Change of circadian effect with colour temperature and eye spectral transmittance at different ages
Authors: Tian HJ , Chen T , Hu Y , Guan T , Cai MP
Published: May 2020

With the recent advances in photobiology research and light-emitting diode technology, considering the circadian effects and the potential health benefits of lighting has attracted much attention. In this work, to achieve a white light-emitting LED cluster with beneficial and tunable circadian effects, a red-green-blue-warm white colour-mixing method based on pulse width modulation has been introduced and developed. Five optimal spectral power distributions were achieved with the correlated colour temperatures of 2700, 4000, 5000, 6500 and 8000 K that provide maximum colour-rendering indices of 95.0, 96.6, 96.8, 95.6 and 93.5 for each correlated colour temperature. Moreover, the Bellia model was modified to take into account the reduction in spectral transmittance of the human eye that occurs with age. Using the five spectral power distributions, based on the eye spectral transmittance with age-related change, we studied the change of the circadian effect with corneal illuminance at the different correlated colour temperatures. Solutions are provided for scenarios where circadian effect should be avoided for different age groups while the reasonable illuminance and colour temperature are maintained.
Treatment of Carotid Restenosis Using Transcarotid Revascularization
Authors: Wang S. Keisin , King Alexander H. , Kashyap Vikram S. , Foteh Mazin I. , Ambani Ravi N. , Apple Jeff M. , Fajardo Andres C. , Motaganahalli Raghu L.
Published: May 2020

Objective:

Transcarotid artery revascularization (TCAR) using the ENROUTE Neuroprotection System (Silk Road Medical) is a United States Food and Drug Administration–approved treatment modality for stroke risk reduction in the setting of carotid artery stenosis. The goal of this investigation was to define the real-world outcomes associated with the application of this technique to patients presenting with restenosis after previous carotid endarterectomy (CEA) or transfemoral carotid artery stenting (TF-CAS).

Methods:

Retrospective review of prospectively maintained institutional databases capturing all nontrial TCARs performed between August 2013 and July 2018 using the ENROUTE Neuroprotection System was completed at 3 unaffiliated hospital systems and unified for descriptive outcomes analysis.

Results:

During the study period, 237 combined TCARs were performed at our respective institutions. Of these procedures, 55 stents were implanted for the indication of restenosis after previous carotid revascularization (47 CEA, 8 TF-CAS). Within the 30-day perioperative period, we observed no ipsilateral strokes or deaths; one patient experienced perioperative myocardial infarction (MI; 1.8%). We noted a 4.8% incidence of postoperative hematoma, but none of these events were clinically significant as no reinterventions were performed in any of the 55 patients. Additionally, we did not observe any cases of stent thrombosis or pulmonary embolus. Mean length of stay was 2.2 ± 2.8 days. Our mean follow-up duration was 15.0 ± 9.2 months. Throughout the follow-up period, we did not observe any additional stroke or MI events. Additionally, there were no cases of in-stent restenosis, thrombosis, or reinterventions.

Conclusion:

Transcarotid artery revascularization can be performed in patients with restenotic carotid arteries with acceptable rates of ipsilateral stroke, MI, and death as demonstrated in this small multi-institutional series.
From Theory to Practice: A Study of Remotely Managed Localised Humanitarian Action in Syria
Authors: Elkahlout Ghassan , Elgibali Kareem
Published: May 2020

With unique strengths, problems, and challenges, localisation is an increasingly important modality for humanitarian relief. Based on the primary research including interviews with practitioners who are expert and experienced in localisation and remote management in Syria, the article offers an important case study of remote management during conflict, with analysis of local staff adherence to humanitarian principles and standards, local access and acceptance in conflict zones, the dynamics between international and local organisations and staff, the transfer of decision making from international nongovernmental organisations (NGOs) to local NGOs, and the potential risks involved. It argues that localisation has inherent strengths due to the social advantages of local staff but lacks sufficient institutional support from the international humanitarian system and that there are ethical and legal problems with transferring risk and security considerations for local NGOs.
A new K-means singular value decomposition method based on self-adaptive matching pursuit and its application in fault diagnosis of rolling bearing weak fault
Authors: Wang Hongchao , Du Wenliao
Published: May 2020

Sparse decomposition has excellent adaptability and high flexibility in describing arbitrary complex signals based on redundant and over-complete dictionary, thus having the advantage of being free from the limitations of traditional signal processing methods such as wavelet and fast Fourier transform being imposed by orthogonal basis. Sparse decomposition provides an effective approach for feature extraction of intricate vibration signals collected from rotating machinery. Self-learning over-complete dictionary and pre-defined over-complete dictionary are the two dictionary construction modes of sparse decomposition. Normally, the former mode owns the virtues of much more adaptive and flexible than the latter one, and several kinds of classical self-learning over-complete dictionary methods have been arising in recent years. K-means singular value decomposition is a classical self-learning over-complete dictionary method and has been used in image processing, speech processing, and vibration signal processing. However, K-means singular value decomposition has relative low reconstruction accuracy and poor stability to enhance the desired features. To overcome the above-mentioned shortcomings of K-means singular value decomposition, a new K-means singular value decomposition sparse representation method based on traditional K-means singular value decomposition method was proposed in this article, which uses the sparse adaptive matching pursuit algorithm and an iterative method based on the minimum similarity of atomic structure. The effectiveness and advantage of the proposed method were verified through simulation and experiment.
Primary venous aneurysms: A 20-year retrospective analysis
Authors: Gabriel Samantha , Eisenberg Naomi , Kim Denise , Jaberi Arash , Roche-Nagle Graham
Published: May 2020

Objective

Primary venous aneurysms are unusual vascular occurrences. Our aim is to document our institution’s experience with this pathology; describing frequency, diagnosis, outcomes and medical histories of patients with primary venous aneurysms within a 20-year time frame.

Methods

A retrospective study at our institution using its radiology database was conducted. Results were isolated to primary venous aneurysms diagnosed between 1997 and 2017. Basic demographics and medical history were collected.

Results

We identified 32 patients with primary venous aneurysms. Eighteen were male and 14 were female. The average age of presentation was 54 years old, with a range of 17–86. None of these patients reported a family history of aneurysmal disease. The majority were incidental. Of these aneurysms, 3 were of the head and neck, 1 was contained in the thorax, 17 were intra-abdominal and 11 were peripheral. Diagnosis was made by computed tomography, duplex ultrasound, or magnetic resonance imaging. Conservative management was most frequently employed, but four patients underwent surgical repair. Three aneurysms required operation for symptom management (external jugular, subclavian, inferior vena cava), whereas one aneurysm of the popliteal vein was prophylactically managed, given the high risk for pulmonary embolism.

Conclusions

Primary venous aneurysms present infrequently. Despite their rarity, primary venous aneurysms have been reported to occur throughout the venous system. The majority of primary venous aneurysms in this series were found incidentally and can present both symptomatically or asymptomatically. The findings of our 20-year experience were consistent with the existing literature. Because the risk of rupture is negligible, the indications for surgical management remain for cosmesis, symptom management or high risk of thromboembolic events.
Parallel graft techniques for urgent complex aortic diseases: Mid-term results of 12 cases
Authors: Rinaldi Luigi F , Chierico Simona , Marazzi Giulia , Marone Enrico Maria
Published: May 2020

Objectives

Open repair is still the first choice for thoraco-abdominal and para-renal aortic aneurysms, but surgical treatment is burdened by significant morbidity and mortality, especially in urgent setting. Endovascular treatment by fenestrated or branched endografts is feasible and safe; but in urgent/emergent settings, custom-made endografts are hardly available in due time, and the repair with standard multibranched devices is still debated in cases with complex anatomy. Parallel grafting, on the other hand, which exploits covered stents to preserve patency of the visceral vessels, has been shown as a valuable option and can be performed in urgency, though some concerns still remain regarding its durability and complications. The purpose of this case series is to review the outcomes of all consecutive cases of complex aortic diseases treated with this technique in emergent/urgent setting.

Materials and methods

All cases of endovascular aortic repair of thoraco-abdominal and para-thoraco-abdominal performed in urgency or emergency from 2016 to June 2019 were retrospectively reviewed, recording clinical records, operative technique, primary technical success, and long-term outcomes. Each patient was followed-up by computed tomography angiography three months after the procedure and yearly thereafter.

Results

Twenty consecutive patients (median age: 68, range: 47–89, male/female ratio: 16:4) affected by para-thoraco-abdominal (12) or thoraco-abdominal (8) were treated in urgent or emergent setting by chimney and/or periscope technique. A total number of 37 visceral vessels were stented (29 renal arteries, 1 polar artery of the kidney, 3 superior mesenteric arteries, and 4 coeliac trunks). Primary technical success was 100%, with one perioperative death. One patient died on post-operative month III for unrelated cause. Two type II endoleaks were detected at the first post-operative imaging studies and were managed conservatively. One type IB endoleak was treated by endovascular repair with a custom-made endograft (overall re-intervention rate: 5%). Over a median 22 months follow-up (range: 4–40, interquartile range: 12 months), all stentgrafts were patent.

Conclusion

Parallel graft is a feasible and safe option that should be considered in urgent and emergent treatment of para-thoraco-abdominal and thoraco-abdominal, when fenestrated and branched endografts cannot be used.
Protamine sulfate use during tibial bypass does not appear to increase thrombotic events or affect short-term graft patency
Authors: Phair John , Futchko John , Trestman Eric B , Carnevale Matthew , Friedmann Patricia , Shukla Harshal , Garg Karan , Koleilat Issam
Published: May 2020

Objectives

While the use of protamine sulfate as a heparin reversal agent has been extensively reviewed in patients undergoing carotid endarterectomy and coronary artery bypass grafting, there is a lack of literature on protamine’s effects on lower extremity bypasses. The purpose of this study was to determine the risk of protamine sulfate dosing after tibial bypass on thrombotic or bleeding events, including early bypass failure.

Methods

We performed a retrospective review of our institutional database for patients undergoing primary distal peripheral bypass from January 2009 through December 2015 (contralateral bypass was considered to be a new primary bypass). Primary endpoints include composite thrombotic events (myocardial infarction, stroke, amputation at 30 days and patency less than 30 days) and composite bleeding events (bleeding or transfusion).

Results

A total of 152 tibial or peroneal bypasses in 136 patients with critical limb ischemia were identified. Of these, 78 (57.4%) patients received protamine sulfate intraoperatively and 58 (42.6%) did not. There were no differences in composite thrombotic or hemorrhagic outcomes. Protamine use had no effect on the rates of perioperative MI (9.0% versus 3.5%, p = 0.20), stroke (1.3% versus 1.7%, p = 0.83), or perioperative mortality (5.1% versus 3.5%, p = 0.64). There was no significant difference in composite post-operative bleeding events (20.7% versus 14.1%, p = 0.31) or composite thrombotic events (17.2% versus 18.0%, p = 0.91). Patients who received protamine undergoing bypass with non-autogenous conduit had significantly higher-recorded median operative blood loss (250 mL versus 150 mL, p = 0.0097) and median procedure lengths (265 min versus 201 min, p = 0.0229). No difference in 30-day amputation-free survival was noted (91.0% versus 91.4%, p = 0.94). Follow-up Kaplan–Meier estimation did not demonstrate a difference in 30-day patency (91.7% versus 88.5%, p = 0.52).

Conclusions

Heparin reversal with protamine sulfate after tibial or peroneal bypass grafting is not associated with higher cardiovascular morbidity, bypass thrombosis, amputation, or mortality. Additionally, there was no statistically significant difference in post-operative bleeding or thrombosis complications for patients who did not receive protamine, although the findings are suggestive of a potential difference in a more adequately powered study. Our results suggest that protamine sulfate is safe for intraoperative use without increased risk of thrombotic complications or early tibial bypass graft failure.
Borrowed language and identity practices in a linguistic marketplace: A discourse analytic study of Chinese doctors’ journey online
Authors: Zhou Feifei
Published: May 2020

This article examines online identity practices of Chinese doctors mediated through borrowed linguistic resources in a leading medical app. Setting against rapid societal changes in China which open up traditionally ‘powerful’ professions to market competition, and the development of a booming digital economy, this app and its semiotic work drawing on Chinese Internet vernacular, I will argue, offer a fascinating lens to probe into the highly dynamic online discursive practices in contemporary China. Drawing on the notions of entextualization and resemiotization, I will trace and analyse the patterned ways in which pre-existing linguistic resources are creatively reworked by the app to achieve new identity-making purposes. Situating the changes of the field of healthcare in China within a worldwide shift towards neoliberal ideologies and practices, I will also briefly discuss how the emergence of such new social space in digital settings may impact the production and communication of health knowledge and services in China.
Hypertrophy of Lumbopelvic Muscles in Inactive Women: A 36-Week Pilates Study
Authors: Dorado Cecilia , López-Gordillo Ana , Serrano-Sánchez José A. , Calbet José A.L. , Sanchis-Moysi Joaquín
Published: May 2020

Background:

The use of Pilates in various fields of sport sciences and rehabilitation is increasing; however, little is known about the muscle adaptations induced by this training method.

Hypothesis:

A standardized Pilates training program for beginners (9 months; 2 sessions of 55 minutes per week) will increase the muscle volume and reduce potential side-to-side asymmetries of the quadratus lumborum, iliopsoas, piriformis, and gluteus muscles (gluteus maximus, medius, and minimus).

Study Design:

Controlled laboratory study.

Level of Evidence:

Level 3.

Method:

A total of 12 inactive, healthy women (35.7 ± 5.4 years) without previous experience in Pilates were randomly selected to participate in a supervised Pilates program (36 weeks, twice weekly). Muscle volume (cm3) was determined using magnetic resonance imaging at the beginning and end of the intervention program. Side-to-side asymmetry was calculated as [(left – right volume) × 100/right volume].

Results:

Small, nonsignificant ( P > 0.05) differences in the volume of the quadratus lumborum, iliopsoas, piriformis, and gluteus muscles were observed between pre– and post–Pilates program timepoints. Before and after Pilates, side-to-side asymmetry was less than 6% and nonsignificant in all muscles analyzed.

Conclusion:

Modern Pilates performed twice weekly for 9 months did not elicit substantial changes in the volume and degree of asymmetry of the selected lumbopelvic muscles in inactive women.

Clinical Relevance:

The benefits of Pilates in rehabilitation or training are likely elicited by neuromuscular rather than morphological adaptations. Pilates has no significant impact on muscle volume and does not alter side-to-side ratios in muscle volume (degree of asymmetry) of the lumbopelvic muscles.
The Normalization of Hatred: Identity, Affective Polarization, and Dehumanization on Facebook in the Context of Intractable Political Conflict
Authors: Harel Tal Orian , Jameson Jessica Katz , Maoz Ifat
Published: May 2020

Our study uses a qualitative analysis of social media discourse on a Facebook page to demonstrate how the phenomena of affective polarization and dehumanization are manifested through participation in a homogeneous enclave, or echo chamber. We employ Northrup’s theory of identity in intractable conflict to show how users express their desire for psychological and physical separation from the other and use dehumanizing language that normalizes potentially dangerous levels of hatred during their participation on a Facebook page. This study contributes to our understanding of the link between identity, affective polarization, and dehumanization.
Multilevel Influences on Fat, Sugar, Salt, Fruit, and Vegetable Consumption Behaviors Among Urban Indians: Application of the Social Ecological Model
Authors: Kaur Jasvir , Kaur Manmeet , Chakrapani Venkatesan , Kumar Rajesh
Published: May 2020

Designing effective interventions for achieving desired dietary behavior changes requires an in-depth study of people’s behaviors situated in sociocultural and interpersonal contexts. Guided by the Social Ecological Model, we explored the individual, family, and social-structural-level influences on dietary behaviors related to consumption of fat, sugar, salt, fruits, and vegetables among urban adults in India. We conducted 10 focus groups with a sample of men and women in diverse socioeconomic groups. Data were explored using framework analysis. Social Ecological Model helped in identifying multilevel influences that facilitated or hindered healthy dietary behaviors: Individual-level influences—awareness of dietary recommendations, self-efficacy, risk perception, and perceived benefits and costs; Family-level influences—family members’ preferences, family norms, family support, and the home environment; and Social-structural influences—societal norms, culture, media, cost, availability and accessibility of fruits and vegetables, and government policies. Overall, the findings indicated the need for a range of multilevel interventions that are more likely to promote and sustain healthy dietary behaviors—for example, improving awareness about dietary recommendations (individual level), promoting positive family norms through involvement of family members (family level), and restricting the use of fat, sugar, and salt in packaged food, and supportive policies for promoting consumption of fruits and vegetables (structural level).
Management of Food Crop for National Development: Problems and Challenges of Cassava Processing in Nigeria
Authors: Agbaeze Emmanuel Kalu , Ohunyeye Felix Olamide , Obamen Joseph , Ibe Godwin Imo
Published: May 2020

This article examined the problems and challenges of managing cassava processing in Nigeria. Based on the findings of our study, agricultural policy framework, level of mechanization, infrastructure, agricultural technical experts, and access to capital are the major factors that affect cassava processing in Nigeria, while the challenges are policy inconsistency, high cost of mechanization and inadequate capital investment in infrastructure, inadequate extension agents, as well as stringent credit facility conditions. This study, therefore, concludes that for cassava to play a major role in Nigeria’s national development government must ensure that there is a full exploration of all opportunities that have the potential to yield strong advantage. This could be achieved through a holistic assessment of the cassava process that is geared toward improving the quality of life and well-being of citizens based on Nigeria’s comparative advantage in cassava production and processing.
Young Migrants’ Experiences and Conditions for Health: A Photovoice Study
Authors: Lögdberg Ulrika , Nilsson Bo , Kostenius Catrine
Published: May 2020

Visualization and expression of health-related experiences and conditions by young migrants from five different countries residing in Sweden were examined in this study. Using photovoice, the participants were invited to describe and discuss their experiences in three stages: (a) document and portray their everyday lives by taking pictures, (b) discuss their findings, and (c) present their views on health to the adults who are present in their everyday life and that are important for improving young migrants’ health conditions. The overall findings indicate that temporal, spatial, and social conditions are important for the well-being of these young migrants. Thus, in order for the young migrants to feel well in a new cultural context, a search for meaning and meaningfulness in relation to time, place, and other people was important. These findings are discussed in light of social, mental, and existential health dimensions and in relation to the selected study methods.
Affective and Cognitive Trust as Mediators in the Influence of Leader Motivating Language on Personal Initiative
Authors: Ling Bin , Guo Yue
Published: May 2020

We investigated the mediating effects of affective and cognitive trust on the relationship between leaders’ use of motivating language and employees’ personal initiative. Hierarchical linear modeling was performed on nested data obtained from a sample of 238 participants from mainland China. The results showed that leaders’ motivating language positively influenced employees’ personal initiative at the team level and their affective and cognitive trust at the individual level. Additionally, both affective and cognitive trust significantly mediated the relationship between motivating language used by leaders and personal initiative demonstrated by employees. These findings point to the positive implications for an organization of a mechanism that fosters employees’ trust in their leaders through the translation of motivational language used by leaders into employees’ behavior demonstrating their personal initiative.
Glucocorticoids enhance the antileukemic activity of FLT3 inhibitors in FLT3-mutant acute myeloid leukemia
Authors: Gebru Melat T. , Atkinson Jennifer M. , Young Megan M. , Zhang Lijun , Tang Zhenyuan , Liu Zhenqiu , Lu Pinyi , Dower Christopher M. , Chen Longgui , Annageldiyev Charyguly , Sharma Arati , Imamura Kawasawa Yuka , Zhao Zhongming , Miller Barbara A. , Claxton David F. , Wang Hong-Gang
Published: May 2020

FLT3 is a frequently mutated gene that is highly associated with a poor prognosis in acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Despite initially responding to FLT3 inhibitors, most patients eventually relapse with drug resistance. The mechanism by which resistance arises and the initial response to drug treatment that promotes cell survival is unknown. Recent studies show that a transiently maintained subpopulation of drug-sensitive cells, so-called drug-tolerant "persisters" (DTPs), can survive cytotoxic drug exposure despite lacking resistance-conferring mutations. Using RNA sequencing and drug screening, we find that treatment of FLT3 internal tandem duplication AML cells with quizartinib, a selective FLT3 inhibitor, upregulates inflammatory genes in DTPs and thereby confers susceptibility to anti-inflammatory glucocorticoids (GCs). Mechanistically, the combination of FLT3 inhibitors and GCs enhances cell death of FLT3 mutant, but not wild-type, cells through GC-receptor–dependent upregulation of the proapoptotic protein BIM and proteasomal degradation of the antiapoptotic protein MCL-1. Moreover, the enhanced antileukemic activity by quizartinib and dexamethasone combination has been validated using primary AML patient samples and xenograft mouse models. Collectively, our study indicates that the combination of FLT3 inhibitors and GCs has the potential to eliminate DTPs and therefore prevent minimal residual disease, mutational drug resistance, and relapse in FLT3-mutant AML.
Subsequent neoplasms and late mortality in children undergoing allogeneic transplantation for nonmalignant diseases
Authors: Kahn Justine M. , Brazauskas Ruta , Tecca Heather R. , Bo-Subait Stephanie , Buchbinder David , Battiwala Minoo , Flowers Mary E. D. , Savani Bipin N. , Phelan Rachel , Broglie Larisa , Abraham Allistair A. , Keating Amy K. , Daly Andrew , Wirk Baldeep , George Biju , Alter Blanche P. , Ustun Celalettin , Freytes Cesar O. , Beitinjaneh Amer M. , Duncan Christine , Copelan Edward , Hildebrandt Gerhard C. , Murthy Hemant S. , Lazarus Hillard M. , Auletta Jeffery J. , Myers Kasiani C. , Williams Kirsten M. , Page Kristin M. , Vrooman Lynda M. , Norkin Maxim , Byrne Michael , Diaz Miguel Angel , Kamani Naynesh , Bhatt Neel S. , Rezvani Andrew , Farhadfar Nosha , Mehta Parinda A. , Hematti Peiman , Shaw Peter J. , Kamble Rammurti T. , Schears Raquel , Olsson Richard F. , Hayashi Robert J. , Gale Robert Peter , Mayo Samantha J. , Chhabra Saurabh , Rotz Seth J. , Badawy Sherif M. , Ganguly Siddhartha , Pavletic Steven , Nishihori Taiga , Prestidge Tim , Agrawal Vaibhav , Hogan William J. , Inamoto Yoshihiro , Shaw Bronwen E. , Satwani Prakash
Published: May 2020

We examined the risk of subsequent neoplasms (SNs) and late mortality in children and adolescents undergoing allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) for nonmalignant diseases (NMDs). We included 6028 patients (median age, 6 years; interquartile range, 1-11; range, <1 to 20) from the Center for International Blood and Marrow Transplant Research (1995-2012) registry. Standardized mortality ratios (SMRs) in 2-year survivors and standardized incidence ratios (SIRs) were calculated to compare mortality and SN rates with expected rates in the general population. Median follow-up of survivors was 7.8 years. Diagnoses included severe aplastic anemia (SAA; 24%), Fanconi anemia (FA; 10%), other marrow failure (6%), hemoglobinopathy (15%), immunodeficiency (23%), and metabolic/leukodystrophy syndrome (22%). Ten-year survival was 93% (95% confidence interval [95% CI], 92% to 94%; SMR, 4.2; 95% CI, 3.7-4.8). Seventy-one patients developed SNs (1.2%). Incidence was highest in FA (5.5%), SAA (1.1%), and other marrow failure syndromes (1.7%); for other NMDs, incidence was <1%. Hematologic (27%), oropharyngeal (25%), and skin cancers (13%) were most common. Leukemia risk was highest in the first 5 years posttransplantation; oropharyngeal, skin, liver, and thyroid tumors primarily occurred after 5 years. Despite a low number of SNs, patients had an 11-fold increased SN risk (SIR, 11; 95% CI, 8.9-13.9) compared with the general population. We report excellent long-term survival and low SN incidence in an international cohort of children undergoing HCT for NMDs. The risk of SN development was highest in patients with FA and marrow failure syndromes, highlighting the need for long-term posttransplantation surveillance in this population.
Laboratory monitoring of hemophilia A treatments: new challenges
Authors: Lenting Peter J.
Published: May 2020

Monitoring factor VIII (FVIII) activity has traditionally been complicated by discrepancies between assays for the various sorts of FVIII molecules. The advent of novel nonfactor therapies (emicizumab, fitusiran, and anti-tissue factor pathway inhibitor antibodies) in hemophilia A poses a new level of difficulty on the laboratory monitoring of these patients. To use the correct assays and for a proper interpretation of their results, it is pertinent to understand the mode of action of these nonfactor agents. Furthermore, the biochemical consequences for the different types of activity assays (whether it be specific FVIII activity assays or global coagulation assays) should be taken into account as well. In this review, these aspects will be discussed. In addition, the use of various animal models to estimate FVIII-equivalence of the nonfactor therapies will be presented.
Study of VOCs release during drying of plantation-grown Pinus sylvestris and naturally grown Russian Pinus sylvestris
Authors: Shen Yulin , Zhang Xiaotao , He Qin , Wang Xia , Wang Zhe , Yang Junli , Chen Zhangjing , Yu Jianfang , Duo Huaqiong , Wang Ximing
Published: May 2020

A study was carried out to investigate the release of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) during drying of plantation Pinus sylvestris grown in China and naturally grown Pinus sylvestris from Russia. Our purpose was to provide basic information that can help wood processing mills set their VOCs emission limits and control the exhaust gas within such limits. During conventional drying of the plantation Pinus sylvestris, a total of 22 chemical compounds were detected in the exhaust gas: 9 aldehydes including formaldehyde, 8 terpenes including α-pinene, and 3 additional compounds including alkane, and propylbenzene. The VOCs released during both conventional drying and high-temperature drying were the same. However, large amounts of benzene were detected during the high-temperature drying process. During conventional drying of the Russian Pinus sylvestris material, a total of 17 chemical compounds were detected: 7 aldehydes including formaldehyde, 6 terpenes including α-pinene, and 2 additional compounds. The VOCs released during conventional drying and high-temperature drying were the same. However, large amounts of camphene were detected during high-temperature drying. For plantation Pinus sylvestris, the release of VOCs primarily took place at the later stage of conventional drying, and at the earlier stage of high-temperature drying. For Russian Pinus sylvestris, the amount and the release rate of VOCs during conventional drying were extremely low, and the VOCs during high-temperature drying were primarily released at the later stage. The total amount of VOCs released during drying was much higher from the plantation Pinus sylvestris than from Russian Pinus sylvestris material.