bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Precise Mapping of Intra-Adrenal Aldosterone Activities Provides a Novel Surgical Strategy for Primary Aldosteronism
Authors: Kitamoto Takumi , Kitamoto Kanako Kiriyama , Omura Masao , Takiguchi Tomoko , Tsurutani Yuya , Kubo Haremaru , Yamazaki Yuto , Sasano Hironobu , Saito Jun , Nishikawa Tetsuo
Published: June 2020

Segmental selective adrenal venous sampling (sAVS) elucidates an intraadrenal aldosterone activity map (IAMap), which allows us to design a novel surgical treatment strategy for patients with primary aldosteronism. We evaluated the usefulness of sAVS by analyzing 278 patients with whom we had prospectively used IAMap using the criteria of sAVS for surgical indication between 2009 and 2015. We evaluated its diagnostic accuracy using pathological and postsurgical biochemical and clinical outcomes. One hundred twenty and 158 patients were diagnosed with unilateral and bilateral disease, respectively, through sAVS. The concordance of lateralization diagnosis with computed tomography imaging was 66.6%. Among the unilateral patients, we performed partial adrenalectomy in 68 patients whose IAMap showed focal aldosterone hypersecretion from computed tomography-detectable tumor in the affected adrenal gland. All of them achieved complete biochemical success 1 year after surgery. Furthermore, 25 of 158 bilateral disease patients underwent surgical resection because they were preoperatively diagnosed as bilateral aldosterone-producing adenomas by IAMap. These cases showed complete or partial biochemical success (28.0% and 72.0%, respectively); 36.0% showed complete clinical success. Pathological studies demonstrated that all 145 resected specimens possessed aldosterone-producing adenoma or multiple nodules (132 and 13 cases, respectively), and none showed diffuse hyperplasia. IAMap accurately diagnosed both bilateral and unilateral aldosterone-producing adenomas and diffuse hyperplasia before surgery. sAVS allows a novel surgical strategy for selected PA patients with favorable outcomes.
From Talented Poet to Jealous Wife: Reimagining Su Hui in Late Tang Literary Culture
Authors: Tang Qiaomei
Published: June 2020

Su Hui was a late fourth century Chinese woman who is famed for her creation of brocade palindromic poems. Due to an account of her life story, attributed to the female emperor Wu Zetian, that highlighted her jealous disposition, Su Hui is remembered today primarily as a talented but jealous wife, which is in contrast with how she was viewed in the period prior to the Wu version. Tracing the genealogy of Su Hui’s narrative in pre-Tang and Tang literary and visual materials, this article demonstrates that the definitive version of Su Hui’s story is misattributed to Wu Zetian and, more importantly, that the image of this well-known figure of early medieval China underwent a transformation that reflects important aspects of Late Tang literary culture. In ‘boudoir lament’ poetry of the Southern Dynasties period, Su Hui is the stock image of a melancholy wife longing for her absent husband. In ‘frontier’ poetry of the Tang dynasty, she is a worrying wife concerned with her military husband fighting on the borderlands. It is in a Late Tang prose account misattributed to Wu Zetian that we finally see her as a jealous woman competing for her husband’s affections. The transformation of Su Hui’s image across three major literary genres over a period of half a millennium offers readers a window into the literary and cultural changes that took place in medieval China.
Gene expression analysis of oxidative stress tolerance in the entomopathogenic nematode Heterorhabditis bacteriophora
Authors: Sumaya Nanette Hope , Olarewaju Olaniyi , Ambaw Gebermedihin , Yali Abdi , Godina Giulia , Vandenbossche Bart , Barg Mike , Doerfler Verena , Ehlers Ralf-Udo , Molina Carlos
Published: June 2020

The entomopathogenic nematode (EPN) Heterorhabditis bacteriophora is used as a biological control agent against diverse insect pests. Nematode-based products contain third-stage Dauer juveniles (DJ), which are adapted to long-term survival. Their longevity can be limited by stress conditions during industrial production up to field application. Oxidative stress has been recently reported to have a direct influence on the H. bacteriophora DJ longevity. Thus, understanding mechanisms by which DJ respond to oxidative stress can provide insights to improve DJ longevity. In this study, we carried out a comparative transcriptomic analysis on the early stage of oxidative stress induction (4 h) in two H. bacteriophora inbred lines with contrasting oxidative stress tolerance, HU2-IL1 (stress-tolerant) and PT1-IL1 (stress-sensitive). For assessing the transcriptome, MACE, a versatile RNA-seq variant was applied. Our de novo transcriptome assembly generated more than 20 000 transcripts, from which 10 290 were linked to 9776 different Uniprot accessions. The majority of the annotated transcripts presented high homology to parasitic nematodes within the genus Ancylostoma, whereas homology to the genus Caenorhabditis was negligible. A total of 630 and 461 transcripts were up-regulated (log2 fold-change (FC) ⩾ 2.0) in the stress-sensitive and the stress-tolerant line, respectively. The proportion of down-regulated transcripts was higher for both lines. However, down-regulation in the stress-sensitive line (5207 transcripts) exhibited a larger proportion than in the tolerant line (1844 transcripts), which indicates that targeted suppression of biological processes is also a crucial factor for the survival of H. bacteriophora under oxidative stress. Our global view of the transcriptome remodelling under oxidative stress suggests that the stress-sensitive line fails to maintain vital biological processes in contrast to the tolerant line. Interestingly, both lines activated similar biological processes directly involved in detoxification of reactive oxygen species, indicating that expression changes on transcript isoforms are of high relevance in this context. This study will open ways for the selection of DJ longevity predictor genes and allow the design of molecular markers for the breeding of improved lines.
Smart Cities
Authors: Petroccia Sara , Pitasi Andrea , Cossi Gianugo M. , Roblek Vasja
Published: June 2020

This paper is based on the paradigm that a smart city is a part of the intellectual framework of second-order cybernetics and considers social communication in terms of the management and use of different data channels. Planning as a political practice is replaced by environmentally-behavioral control, in which subjectivity is articulated above-individually (permeating the city with sensitive nodes) and infra-individually (transforming citizens into sensitive nodes). This leads us to the research question: how to focus on the social relations and processes of the smart urbanization which are based on the second order cybernetic approach? The smart city is understood as a complex mechanism, where one begins to realize the often-unintended human, environmental, social and economic consequences of a technological and engineering-led approach. The latest thinking and smart urban projects are aimed at comprehending smart and/or sustainable infrastructure as a network between places and people in order to create a more sustainable, healthy and resilient future for different groups of citizens (from young people to seniors). Municipality strategies need to address global socio-economic factors, processes of innovation with new technology, constant adaptation in public and private sector organisations and the diversity of qualified resources.
Mereology in Kalām
Authors: Shihadeh Ayman
Published: June 2020

The objective of this article is twofold. First, it investigates mereology in medieval Islamic theology, particularly the theologians’ claim that the whole is identical to its parts and accordingly that at least some attributes common to the parts must by extension be attributed of the whole. This claim was refuted by philosophers and, from the eleventh century onwards, an increasing number of theologians. Second, it offers a new interpretation of the standard theological proof from accidents for creation ex nihilo, to which this problem was central. A wide range of early, classical and later theological and philosophical sources are consulted.
Controlling the Resonance Raman Effect in Tip-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy Using a Thin Insulating Film
Authors: Jaculbia Rafael , Hayazawa Norihiko , Imada Hiroshi , Kim Yousoo
Published: June 2020

Both surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) and tip-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (TERS) are widely used for the investigation of nanoscale materials. One of the most critical aspects of both SERS and TERS is the control of both the plasmon and molecular resonance precisely. Here, we demonstrate single-molecule TERS under molecular resonance conditions using a scanning tunneling microscope. This was achieved by placing the molecule on a sodium chloride (NaCl) film in order to directly compare the absorption with Raman excitation spectra. Varying the NaCl film thickness changes the degree of screening effect from the metal surface, which leads to a variation of the molecular resonance phenomena. Although it is generally accepted that the target molecule should be directly attached to the metal surface in SERS, our observation using TERS suggests that this is not always optimal, especially under molecular resonance Raman conditions. Our work demonstrates the possibility of controlling molecular resonance by carefully modifying the local environment. This will be useful for future investigation of isolated single molecules or even two-dimensional molecular assemblies.
Impacts of a Mail-Order Service for Refilling Prescriptions on Patient Satisfaction and Operational Load at a Comprehensive Cancer Center in Jordan
Authors: AbuBlan Rasha S. , Awad Wedad , Agha Randa , Hejawi Neveen , Srouji Hala , Hammoudeh Suzan , Nazer Lama H.
Published: June 2020

Background

Mail-order services for refilling prescriptions for medications have been established in many countries and have increased patient satisfaction. We developed a mail-order service for the outpatient pharmacy of a comprehensive cancer center in Jordan.

Objective

To describe the implementation of a mail-order service and to report the impact of the service on patient satisfaction and the pharmacy workload.

Methods

A multidisciplinary team was formed to plan a mail-order service for refilling prescriptions for medications, and a survey was designed to evaluate patient satisfaction with the service. Patients were instructed to call the refill call center and order their medications at least 48 hours before their refill is due. The pharmacy workflow for refilling prescriptions was evaluated, and the time required with and without the mail-order service was documented, with a calculation of the time saved.

Results

At 1 year after the mail-order service had been established, 14 200 prescriptions had been refilled through the service, with the majority (97.5%) dispensed within 48 hours of the order time. As per the survey conducted with 219 patients, on the overall satisfaction, 69.4% reported being highly satisfied with the service and 27.9% reported being satisfied. The problems reported with the service were delay in arrival (n = 23, 10.5%), medication-related errors (n = 9, 4.1%), cash-related error (n = 1, 0.45%), improper storage condition (n = 1, 0.45%), and delivery to the wrong address (n = 4, 1.8%). The service was also associated with reduced overall time for processing in the outpatient pharmacy service; for patients receiving their medications from the pharmacy, resulting in reduced patients’ overall waiting time (from 11.4 to 8.2 minutes). The service resulted in saving of 0.4 full-time employee at 1 year of implementation.

Conclusions

A mail-order service for refilling prescriptions within a hospital setting had positive outcomes on both patient satisfaction and the pharmacy workflow. The major issues were related to transportation and logistics.
Asymmetric second-order stochastic resonance weak fault feature extraction method
Authors: Tang Jiachen , Shi Boqiang
Published: June 2020

To solve the problem that the weak fault signal is difficult to extract under strong background noise, an asymmetric second-order stochastic resonance method is proposed. By adjusting the damping factor and the asymmetry, weak signals, noise, and potential wells are matched to each other to achieve the best stochastic resonance state so that weak fault characteristics can be effectively extracted in strong background noise. Under adiabatic approximation, the effects of damping coefficient, noise intensity, and asymmetry on the output signal-to-noise ratio are discussed based on the two-state model theory. Under the same parameters, the output signal-to-noise ratio of the asymmetric second-order stochastic resonance system is better than that of the underdamped second-order stochastic resonance system. The bearing fault and field engineering experimental results are provided to justify the comparative advantage of the proposed method over the underdamped second-order stochastic resonance method.
Carer subjective burden after first-episode psychosis: Types and predictors. A multilevel statistical approach
Authors: Charles Shereen , Kirkbride James B , Onwumere Juliana , Lyons Natasha , Man Lai Chu , Floyd Caroline , Widuch Kaja , Brown Lucy , James Gareth , Afsharzadegan Roya , Souray Jonathan , Raune David
Published: June 2020

Background:

Carer burden at first-episode psychosis is common and adds to the multiple other psychiatric and psychological problems that beset new carers; yet, knowledge of the factors that predict carer burden is limited.

Aim:

This study sought to investigate the types and predictors of carer burden at first-episode psychosis in the largest, most ethnically diverse and comprehensively characterised sample to date.

Method:

This study involved a cross-sectional survey of carers of people with first-episode psychosis presenting to Harrow and Hillingdon Early Intervention in Psychosis service between 2011 and 2017. Carers completed self-report measures assessing their illness beliefs, coping styles and caregiving experiences (i.e. burden). Thirty carer and patient sociodemographic and clinical factors were also collected. Mixed effects linear regression modelling was conducted to account for clustering of carers by patient, with carer burden (and its 8 subtypes) investigated as dependent variables.

Results:

The sample included data on 254 carers (aged 18–74 years) and 198 patients (aged 14–36 years). Regression modelling identified 35 significant predictors of carer burden and its subtypes at first-episode psychosis. Higher total burden was independently predicted by perceiving greater negative consequences of the illness for the patient (B = .014, p < .001, 95% CI: [.010–.018]) and the carer (B = .008, p = .002, 95% CI: [.003–.013]), and engaging in avoidant-focussed coping (B = .010, p = .006, 95% CI: [.003–.016]). Lower burden was independently predicted by patients being in a relationship (B = −.075, p = .047, 95% CI: [−.149 to −.001]). Predictors of the eight burden subtypes (difficult behaviours, negative symptoms, stigma, problems with services, effects on family, dependency, loss and need to backup) are also included in the article.

Conclusion:

Findings can be used to inform the identification of carers ‘at-risk’ of experiencing burden and highlight potential targets for theraputic intervention to lower carer buden.
Youth Empowerment in the Community and Young People’s Creative Self-Efficacy: The Moderating Role of Youth–Adult Partnerships in Youth Service
Authors: To Siu-ming , Chun-Sing Cheung Johnson , Liu Xiaoyu , Lau Cheryl Danielle , Zeng Hera Junfei , Chan Adam Man-yuk
Published: June 2020

This study examined the moderating effect of youth–adult partnerships (YAPs) on the relationship between youth empowerment in the community and youth’s creative self-efficacy (CSE). A survey was administered to 2,653 youth recruited from youth service centers in Hong Kong, which measured youth empowerment in the community, perceived YAPs in youth services, and CSE. The results indicated positive associations between youth empowerment in the community and youth’s CSE and between YAPs and CSE. There was also an interaction effect between youth empowerment and YAPs on youth’s CSE, where the effect of youth empowerment was stronger for youth who experienced higher perceived levels of YAPs. This suggests an amplification effect of YAPs on the relationship between youth empowerment in the community and CSE. Overall, the present findings support a way for community-based youth services to empower youth and to facilitate creative developmental outcomes and initiatives among young people by enhancing YAPs.
Descriptive Accuracy in History: The Case of Narrative Explanations
Authors: Tsilipakos Leonidas
Published: June 2020

This article discusses the issue of the conceptual accuracy of descriptions of social life, which, although fundamental for the social sciences, has in fact been neglected. I approach this task via an examination of Paul Roth’s recent work, which recapitulates reflection in analytic philosophy of history and sets out a view of the past as indeterminate until retrospectively constructed in historical narratives. I argue that Roth’s position embraces an overly restricted notion of historical significance and underestimates how anachronistic descriptions vitiate central historiographical tasks. I contend that the importance of conceptually accurate descriptions for history and the social sciences cannot be overstated.
Tell it like it is in SME teams: Adverse working conditions, citizenship behaviour and the role of team information sharing in a turbulent economy
Authors: Nyfoudi Margarita , Theodorakopoulos Nicholas , Psychogios Alexandros , Dysvik Anders
Published: June 2020

This article examines the relationship between the deterioration of working conditions concomitant with macroeconomic turbulence and employees’ citizenship, i.e. discretionary effort, towards the organisation. In particular, this study focuses on teams and how to redress the employee backlash against the increasing adversity experienced. Having collected data from 151 employees in 23 Cypriot small and medium enterprise teams during a macroeconomic crisis, the findings demonstrate that adverse working conditions relate negatively to discretionary effort only for those teams with low and moderate levels of information sharing. The study highlights the vital role of team information sharing in dampening the negative workplace repercussions of a deeply recessional economy.
Using social media during job search: The case of 16–24 year olds in Scotland
Authors: Mowbray John A , Hall Hazel
Published: June 2020

Social media are powerful networking platforms that provide users with significant information opportunities. Despite this, little is known about their impact on job search behaviour. Here, interview (participants = 7), focus group (participants = 6) and survey ( n = 558) data supplied by young jobseekers in Scotland were analysed to investigate the role of social media in job search. The findings show that Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn are the most popular platforms for this purpose, and that the type of job sought influences the direction of user behaviour. Frequent social media use for job search is linked with interview invitations. The study also reveals that although most jobseekers use social media for job search sparingly, they are much more likely to do so if advised by a professional. Combined, the findings represent a crucial base of knowledge which can inform careers policy and be used as a platform for further research.
(Un)Sustainability and Organization Studies: Towards a Radical Engagement
Authors: Ergene Seray , Banerjee Subhabrata Bobby , Hoffman Andrew J.
Published: June 2020

In this essay, we trace the evolution of the field of sustainability in management and organization studies and narrate its epistemological twists and turns. Concerned by the current trajectory that tends to diminish a focus on political concerns, we propose a new research agenda, an ecological case for business, that transforms our paradigmatic orientation in four shifts: (1) altering our epistemological lenses from managerial to critical perspectives; (2) altering our ontological lenses from realist to relational view; (3) changing the way we design and conduct research from discipline-focused to interdisciplinary knowledge; and (4) transforming our scholarly stance from value-neutral to engaged scholarship. We argue that these shifts have capacities to overcome the conceptual limitations of the business case and, more fundamentally, help us question our scholarly positioning to the ongoing socio-ecological crises.
Anticoagulation management during pulmonary endarterectomy with cardiopulmonary bypass and deep hypothermic circulatory arrest
Authors: Veerhoek Dennis , van Barneveld Laurentius JM , Haumann Renard G , Kamminga Suzanne K , Vonk Alexander BA , Boer Christa , Symersky Petr
Published: June 2020

Introduction:

Pulmonary endarterectomy requires cardiopulmonary bypass and deep hypothermic circulatory arrest, which may prolong the activated clotting time. We investigated whether activated clotting time–guided anticoagulation under these circumstances suppresses hemostatic activation.

Methods:

Individual heparin sensitivity was determined by the heparin dose–response test, and anticoagulation was monitored by the activated clotting time and heparin concentration. Perioperative hemostasis was evaluated by thromboelastometry, platelet aggregation, and several plasma coagulation markers.

Results:

Eighteen patients were included in this study. During cooling, tube-based activated clotting time increased from 719 (95% confidence interval = 566-872 seconds) to 1,273 (95% confidence interval = 1,136-1,410 seconds; p < 0.01) and the cartridge-based activated clotting time increased from 693 (95% confidence interval = 590-796 seconds) to 883 (95% confidence interval = 806-960 seconds; p < 0.01), while thrombin–antithrombin showed an eightfold increase. The heparin concentration showed a slightly declining trend during cardiopulmonary bypass. After protamine administration (protamine-to-heparin bolus ratio of 0.82 (0.71-0.90)), more than half of the patients showed an intrinsically activated coagulation test and intrinsically activated coagulation test without heparin effect clotting time >240 seconds. Platelet aggregation through activation of the P2Y12 (adenosine diphosphate test) and thrombin receptor (thrombin receptor activating peptide-6 test) decreased (both −33%) and PF4 levels almost doubled (from 48 (95% confidence interval = 42-53 ng/mL) to 77 (95% confidence interval = 71-82 ng/mL); p < 0.01) between weaning from cardiopulmonary bypass and 3 minutes after protamine administration.

Conclusion:

This study shows a wide variation in individual heparin sensitivity in patients undergoing pulmonary endarterectomy with deep hypothermic circulatory arrest. Although activated clotting time–guided anticoagulation management may underestimate the level of anticoagulation and consequently result in a less profound inhibition of hemostatic activation, this study lacked power to detect adverse outcomes.
Attenuation of antidepressive effects of transcranial magnetic stimulation in patients whose medication includes drugs for psychosis
Authors: Hebel Tobias , Abdelnaim Mohamed , Deppe Markus , Langguth Berthold , Schecklmann Martin
Published: June 2020

Objective:

To assess whether concomitant antipsychotic treatment has an influence on the antidepressive effects of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS).

Methods:

We analyzed severity of depression before and after treatment with rTMS in a sample of 299 depressed in- and outpatients in retrospect in relation to treatment with drugs for psychosis. The sample consisted of real-life patients in a tertiary hospital. We ran group contrasts between the group taking and the group not taking drugs for psychosis, testing for differences in Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS). Effect sizes for HDRS group contrasts were reported as Cohen’s d and number needed to treat (NNT) calculated from d. To control for group differences we repeated the Student t-tests for the change in the HDRS using analysis of covariance including confounding variables.

Results:

Depressed patients taking drugs for psychosis showed significantly less amelioration of depressive symptoms after rTMS treatment as measured by absolute and relative change in HDRS with small effect size or NNT of 4.5 to 8.4, respectively. Controlling significant group contrasts revealed that the effect of taking drugs for psychosis does not depend on age, number of applied TMS pulses, type or severity of depression at baseline, comorbidities or differences in the intake of additional medication.

Conclusion:

Drugs for psychosis attenuate antidepressive effects of rTMS independently of confounding factors. The effect is statistically significant and of potentially great clinical importance. The exact mechanism remains to be elucidated and further studies are warranted.
20th Anniversary Update of the Ottawa Decision Support Framework: Part 2 Subanalysis of a Systematic Review of Patient Decision Aids
Authors: Hoefel Lauren , Lewis Krystina B , O’Connor Annette , Stacey Dawn
Published: June 2020

Background. The Ottawa Decision Support Framework (ODSF) has guided the development of patient decision aids (PtDAs) for 20 years and needs updating across a range of decisions and hypothesized outcomes. Purpose. To determine the effectiveness of ODSF-developed PtDAs on hypothesized outcomes and to recommend framework changes. Data Source. A subanalysis of randomized controlled trials included in the 2017 Cochrane review of PtDAs comparing PtDAs to usual care in adults considering health treatment or screening decisions (searched to 2015). Study Selection. Trials in the original review that evaluated ODSF-developed PtDAs. Data Synthesis. Meta-analyses of ODSF outcomes with similar measurements and descriptions of other reported outcomes. Results. Of 105 trials, 24 evaluated ODSF-developed PtDAs. Compared with usual care, ODSF PtDAs improved knowledge (mean difference [MD] 13.85; 95% confidence interval [CI] 10.32−17.37; 14 trials), increased accurate risk perceptions (risk ratio [RR] 2.41; 95% CI 1.66−3.48; 7 trials), and increased congruence between informed values and chosen options (RR 1.32; 95% CI 1.09−1.59; 4 trials). They reduced perceived decisional needs as measured using the Decisional Conflict Scale (MD −5.92; 95% CI −8.58 to −3.26; 15 trials) and the proportion of undecided patients (RR 0.65; 95% CI 0.50−0.83; 13 trials). Non-ODSF PtDAs, designed with or without a specific framework, also outperformed usual care. Few ODSF trials measured secondary outcomes. Limitations. The included trials had heterogeneity. Conclusion. ODSF PtDAs address decisional needs and improve decision quality; the best indicator of addressing perceived uncertainty is “proportion undecided.” Secondary ODSF outcomes should be reduced to adherence to one’s chosen option and use/costs of health services, which warrant further research.
Association of high TUBB3 with resistance to adjuvant docetaxel-based chemotherapy in gastric cancer: translational study of ITACA-S
Authors: Di Bartolomeo Maria , Raimondi Alessandra , Cecchi Fabiola , Catenacci Daniel V.T. , Schwartz Sarit , Sellappan Shankar , Tian Yuan , Miceli Rosalba , Pellegrinelli Alessandro , Giommoni Elisa , Aitini Enrico , Spada Francesca , Rosati Gerardo , Marchet Alberto , Pucci Francesca , Zaniboni Alberto , Tamberi Stefano , Pressiani Tiziana , Sanna Gianni , Cantore Maurizio , Mosconi Stefania , Bolzoni Paola , Pinto Carmine , Landi Lorenza , Soto Parra Hector Josè , Cavanna Luigi , Corallo Salvatore , Martinetti Antonia , Hembrough Todd A. , Pietrantonio Filippo
Published: June 2020

Background:

No predictive markers for chemotherapy activity have been validated in gastric cancer (GC). The potential value of class III β-tubulin (TUBB3) as biomarker for prognosis and resistance to taxane-based therapy was reported.

Methods:

We analyzed GC samples of patients enrolled in the Intergroup Trial of Adjuvant Chemotherapy in Adenocarcinoma of the Stomach (ITACA-S), a randomized adjuvant study comparing 5-fluorouracil/leucovorin (5-FU/LV) and docetaxel-based sequential chemotherapy. TUBB3 was quantitated by selected reaction monitoring mass spectrometry and patients were stratified using a threshold of 750 attomoles per microgram (amol/µg). Cox proportional modeling and Kaplan-Meier survival analysis were used to assess the impact of TUBB3 expression on overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival.

Results:

Patients with TUBB3 protein levels >750 and <750 amol/µg were 21.9% and 78.1%, respectively, and were well-balanced between treatment arms. TUBB3 protein levels were not prognostic. Whereas no survival differences according to the 2 arms were observed in the subgroup with low TUBB3 expression (5-year OS 47% vs 40%; p = 0.44), patients with high TUBB3 had a clinically meaningful poorer OS when receiving docetaxel-based versus 5-FU/LV chemotherapy (5-year OS 31% vs 54%; p = 0.09), with a statistically significant interaction between TUBB3 and treatment ( p = 0.049).

Conclusions:

The quantification of TUBB3 might be considered as a negative predictive biomarker of benefit from taxane-based therapy in GC. Studies are needed to evaluate its role in the neoadjuvant setting.
Temperament systems influence emotion induction but not makam recognition performance in Turkish makam music
Authors: Altun Firat , Egermann Hauke
Published: June 2020

We tested how induced emotions and Turkish makam recognition are influenced by participation in an ear training class and whether either is influenced by the temperament system employed. The ear training class was attended by 19 music students and was based on the Hicaz makam presented as a between-subjects factor in either unfamiliar Turkish original temperament (OT, pitches unequally divided into 24 intervals) or familiar Western equal temperament (ET, pitches equally divided into 12 intervals). Before and after the class, participants listened to 20 music excerpts from five different Turkish makams (in both OT and ET versions). Emotion induction was assessed via the 25-item version of Geneva Emotion Music Scales (GEMS-25), and participants were also asked to identify the makam that was present in the excerpt. The unfamiliar OT was experienced as less vital and more uneasy before the ear training class, and recognition of the Hicaz makam increased after ear training classes (independent of the temperament system employed). Results suggest that unfamiliar temperament systems are experienced as less vital and more uneasy. Furthermore, being exposed to this temperament system for just 1 hr does not seem to be enough to change participants’ mental representations of it or their emotional responses to it.
Overweight and Obesity, Cardiometabolic Health, and Body Composition: Findings From the Follow-Up Studies of the INCAP Longitudinal Study
Authors: Kroker-Lobos María F. , Ramirez-Zea Manuel , Stein Aryeh D.
Published: June 2020

Background:

There has been increased interest in the hypothesis that undernutrition in early life predisposes to cardiometabolic disease risk in adulthood. The Institute of Nutrition of Central America and Panama Longitudinal Study is able to address one critical aspect of this field, specifically whether improvements in nutrition can prevent this increased risk.

Objective:

To describe the main findings on obesity and body composition across 5 waves of field work (1988-1989, 1991-1994, 1998-1999, 2002-2004, and 2015-2017) and on cardiometabolic health across 3 waves (1998-1999, 2002-2004, and 2015-2017).

Results:

Body weight and body fat increased considerably in adulthood, especially among women with sedentary occupations. Adiposity and weight in adulthood were strongly predicted by weight gain after the first 1000 days of life. On the other hand, exposure to improved nutrition in early life reduced diabetes risk by approximately 50% but increased the risk of overweight and obesity.

Conclusions:

Future research will aid in clarifying the underlying mechanisms that drive the opposite associations among diabetes and obesity with early-life nutrition.
Early Childhood Nutrition and Cognitive Functioning in Childhood and Adolescence
Authors: DiGirolamo Ann M. , Ochaeta Laura , Flores Rosa Mery Mejía
Published: June 2020

Background:

The Institute of Nutrition of Central America and Panama (INCAP) Longitudinal Study provides a unique opportunity to examine the role of nutrition in cognitive functioning over time, controlling for other sociocultural factors.

Objective:

This article describes results of analyses carried out in the INCAP Longitudinal Study on relationships between early childhood nutritional status and supplementation with concurrent and subsequent cognitive development in childhood and adolescence/young adulthood.

Methods:

Articles were chosen for review that addressed this topic from the original and 1988 follow-up studies; 41 articles were reviewed and key results summarized for relationships between early nutrition and cognition in infancy, early childhood, and adolescence/young adulthood.

Results:

Overall, results suggest strong relationships between indicators of a child’s early nutritional status and motor and cognitive development in infancy and through the preschool years, continuing into adolescence/young adulthood, particularly for males. Nutritional supplementation during gestation through 2 years of age was associated with improvements in motor development and small, but consistent improvements in cognitive development during infancy and preschool years, with similar results of greater magnitude found with cognitive functioning in adolescence and young adulthood. Findings remain strong after controlling for various sociocultural factors (eg, socioeconomic status [SES]) and schooling. Among adolescents, significant interactions were found with SES and years of school attained; differences in performance favored Atole over Fresco children, with greatest differences for participants of low SES and those with higher levels of schooling.

Conclusions:

Results support the need for programs to address unmet nutritional requirements among at-risk mothers and children and potential beneficial effects for human cognitive development.
The Case for Investing in Young Children: Contributions of the INCAP Longitudinal Study
Authors: Shekar Meera , Saldanha Lisa S.
Published: June 2020

This article highlights the important contributions that the Institute of Nutrition of Central America and Panama longitudinal study has made to global development efforts. The studies have made a unique contribution to our understanding of the role of early life nutrition on many outcomes of interest to the global nutrition community and have strengthened narratives such as human capital.
Preschool Child Nutritional Status in Nepal in 2016: A National Profile and 40-Year Comparative Trend
Authors: Angela K. C. , Thorne-Lyman Andrew L. , Manohar Swetha , Shrestha Binod , Klemm Rolf , Adhikari Ramesh Kant , Webb Patrick , West Keith P.
Published: June 2020

Background:

Preschool child anthropometric status has been assessed nationally in Nepal since 1975, with semi-decadal surveys since 1996, plus several recent, short-interval surveys to track progress toward achieving a World Health Assembly (WHA) goal to reduce stunting to 24% by 2025.

Objective:

We report prevalence of preschool child stunting and wasting from a national survey in 2016 and place findings into the context of national trends and alignment for Nepal to attain its WHA 2025 goal.

Methods:

A representative, midyear Policy and Science for Health, Agriculture and Nutrition (PoSHAN) survey was conducted in 2016 on 5479 children <60 months in 4051 households in 21 village development committees. Child weight and height were measured, and sociodemographic factors were assessed. Data from previous surveys (Nepal Demographic Health Surveys, PoSHAN) were also acquired, and rates of stunting (<−2 height-for-age z score) and wasting (<−2 weight-for-height z score) were compared to current World Health Organization standards. Trends were expressed as average annual rates of reduction (AARR).

Results:

Nationally, in 2016, 34.1% of preschoolers were stunted and 13.7% wasted. Stunting was highest in the Mountains (40.6%) and wasting highest in the Tarai (18.9%). Trend analysis revealed a steady decline (3.8% AARR) in stunting from 2001 to 2013, with virtually no decline from 2013 to 2016. Wasting has been continually high and variable, at ≥8%, since 1975.

Conclusions:

Following a steady decline in prevalence, preschool child stunting has plateaued at ∼35% in Nepal, while wasting has changed little over time, offering the opportunity to inform, reassess, and adjust, as needed, efforts to reach WHA 2025 goals.
Gender and the Effectiveness of Leadership Training: Results From a Field Experiment
Authors: An Seung-Ho , Meier Kenneth J.
Published: June 2020

This study examines gender differences in leadership behaviors and whether leadership training would have different effects on leadership behaviors by gender. Using data from several hundred managers of welfare and financial agencies in Denmark, we first investigate whether leadership behaviors differ between female and male leaders. After that, we conducted a year-long field experiment with managers to examine how female and male leaders respond to leadership training interventions. In general, female managers improve more from leadership training even though leadership scores for female leaders were higher before training.
Multivariate Outliers: A Conceptual and Practical Overview for the Nurse and Health Researcher
Authors: El-Masri Maher M. , Mowbray Fabrice I. , Fox-Wasylyshyn Susan M. , Kanters David
Published: June 2020

The presence of statistical outliers is a shared concern in research. If ignored or improperly handled, outliers have the potential to distort parameter estimates and possibly compromise the validity of research findings. The purpose of this paper is to provide a conceptual and practical overview of multivariate outliers with a focus on common techniques used to identify and manage multivariate outliers. Specifically, this paper discusses the use of Mahalanobis distance and residual statistics as common multivariate outlier identification techniques. It also discusses the use of leverage and Cook’s distance as two common techniques to determine the influence that multivariate outliers may have on statistical models. Finally, this paper discusses techniques that are commonly used to handle influential multivariate outlier cases.
Facing financialization in the housing sector: A human right to adequate housing for all
Authors: Leijten Ingrid , de Bel Kaisa
Published: June 2020

Housing is increasingly seen as a vehicle for wealth accumulation rather than a social good. ‘Financialization’ of housing refers to the expanding and dominant role of financial markets and corporations in the field of housing, leading to unaffordable and insufficient housing and discrimination. Although clearly linked to the right to adequate housing, financialization and its effects are not often viewed from a human rights perspective. This article fleshes out this important link by illuminating the standards set in relation to the right to adequate housing enshrined in Article 11(1) ICESCR. It is shown that recently, human rights bodies have confronted the issue of financialization more directly, translating general requirements to this particular issue. Moreover, efforts at UN level are mirrored in initiatives at the local level, signalling the beginning of a shift towards a paradigm that complies with human rights. The financialization of housing and the response of human rights also allow for addressing a more general issue, namely the potential of majority protection in times of human rights backlash. In this regard, it is worth emphasising that human rights such as the right to adequate housing protect not only the extreme poor. In the context of financialization, this may contribute to better housing conditions as well as reconnect people to their human rights.
The influence of cutting parameters on micro-topography of frequency features extracted from the machined KH2PO4 surfaces
Authors: Pang Qilong , Kuang Liangjie , Xu Youlin
Published: June 2020

Using reasonable cutting parameters of machining process is an effective and convenient means of improving the topography of the machined surfaces. In this study, the methods to find optimised cutting parameters can be obtained by studying the relationship between the cutting parameters and the micro-topography of frequency features in the machined KH2PO4 surfaces. Using the power spectral density and continuous wavelet transform methods, the 2D micro-topographies of frequencies corresponding to different cutting parameters are extracted from the machined KH2PO4 surfaces. The results for the extracted micro-topography are used to analyse the influence of cutting parameters on the spatial frequency feature which consists of the wavelength and amplitude. The middle-frequency feature reflects the variations of depth of cut and spindle speed, and the amplitude of it is directly proportional to depth of cut and spindle speed. The low-frequency feature reflects the variations of the feed rate and decreases to a smaller value when the feed rate increases. The high-frequency feature is mainly affected by the material properties and the vibrations that occur during processing. Comparing the micro-topography of frequencies under different cutting parameters, the depth of cut (3 μm), the spindle speed (400 r/min) and the feed rate (8 μm/r) are the optimised cutting parameters for the machine tools used in this article. In the process of reconstructing the arbitrary frequency topography, the continuous wavelet transform method can compensate for the deficiencies of the power spectral density method for extracting frequencies.
An imputation approach for fitting two-part mixed effects models for longitudinal semi-continuous data
Authors: Choo-Wosoba Hyoyoung , Kundu Debamita , Albert Paul S
Published: June 2020

Two-part mixed effects models are often used for analyzing longitudinal data with many zeros. Typically, these models are formulated with binary and continuous components separately with random effects that are correlated between the two components. Researchers have developed maximum-likelihood and Bayesian approaches for fitting these models that often require using particular software packages or very specialized software. We propose an imputation approach that will allow practitioners to separately use standard linear and generalized linear mixed models to estimate the fixed effects for two-part mixed effects models with complex random effects structures. An approximation to the conditional distribution of positive measurements given an individual’s pattern of non-zero measurements is proposed that can be easily estimated and then imputed from. We show that for a wide range of parameter values, the imputation approach results in nearly unbiased estimation and can be implemented with standard software. We illustrate the proposed imputation approach for the analysis of longitudinal clinical trial data with many zeros.
Conductivity enhancement of poly(amide-imide) composites based on the synergistic effect of poly(o-methoxyaniline) and functionalized multiwalled carbon nanotube
Authors: Fang Yawen , Wang Yanbin , Li Yongchao , Yu Huang , Zhuang Changlong , Luo Zhonglin , Fan Zicheng , Wang Biaobing
Published: June 2020

A series of novel ternary conductive composites have been prepared by incorporating functionalized multiwalled carbon nanotubes (FMWCNTs) into the binary composites of poly(amide-imide) (PAI) and poly( o-methoxyaniline) (POMA) to further improve the conductivity of PAI composites. With increasing the weight ratio of FMWCNTs, the conductivity of PAI/POMA/FMWCNTs ternary composites has been significantly enhanced from 10−3 S m−1 to 90 S m−1, much higher than that of the sum of PAI/POMA and PAI/FMWCNTs binary composites. The enhanced conductivity is mainly ascribed from a much more intensive conductive network formed in the PAI/POMA/FMWCNTs ternary composites. It is found that the N–H bending of amide group in the Fourier transform infrared spectrometry spectra is observed at 3298 cm−1 for PAI, 3296 cm−1 for PAI/POMA binary composites, and further blue shifted to 3292 cm−1 for PAI/POMA/FMWCNTs ternary composites. Moreover, the glass transition temperature has been increased from 82.5°C to 117.7°C. These results suggested that the hydrogen bonding interaction has been strengthened among PAI, POMA, and FMWCNTs, which is useful for dispersion of condcutive fillers into the polymer matrix.
Detection of Chlamydia species in 2 cases of equine abortion in Switzerland: a retrospective study from 2000 to 2018
Authors: Baumann Sibylle , Gurtner Corinne , Marti Hanna , Borel Nicole
Published: June 2020

Species of genus Chlamydia are important pathogens of animals, with a worldwide distribution and broad host range. Some species, such as Chlamydia psittaci, also pose a zoonotic disease risk. Abortion is one of the many diseases that has been associated with chlamydial infections in animals, with most attention focused on the economic impacts to sheep production. The role of chlamydia in equine abortions is unknown. Using the family-specific 23S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) Chlamydiaceae real-time PCR, we tested 169 formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded fetal membrane samples from 162 equine abortion cases collected between 2000 and 2018 in Switzerland. Two equine abortion cases (1.2%) tested positive for Chlamydiaceae. Further analyses by the species-specific 23S rRNA ArrayMate microarray and sequencing of a fragment of the 16S rRNA gene revealed C. abortus and C. psittaci. In both cases, equine herpesvirus 1 was also present, which might have been the abortion cause, alone or in synergy with Chlamydia. The prevalence of abortigenic chlamydial species in equine abortion cases in our study was significantly lower than rates described elsewhere. Zoonotic chlamydial agents present in equine fetal membranes nevertheless should be considered a potential risk to humans during foaling, abortion, or stillbirth.
Family Emotional Security and Problem Drinking Among Young Adult Males in Romantic Relationships
Authors: Barringer Alexandra , Papp Lauren M.
Published: June 2020

The current study evaluated the unique associations between three dimensions of emotional security in the family system (security, disengagement, and preoccupation) and problem drinking among romantically partnered males aged 18–30 years. The sample consisted of 49 males who were recruited with their partners as part of a broader study on substance behaviors. It was hypothesized that security in the family system (i.e., secure appraisals) would be negatively related to problematic drinking, whereas insecure appraisals (i.e., preoccupation and disengagement) would be positively related to problematic drinking. It was also hypothesized that living with a substance abuser during childhood would moderate family security–problem drinking associations. Regression analyses were used to test the hypotheses. Disengagement from the family system uniquely predicted higher levels of problematic drinking, accounting for participant age and partner drinking levels. Moderating results showed that the link between disengagement and drinking behaviors was significantly stronger among males who had lived in childhood with someone who abused substances compared to those who did not. The findings encourage consideration of family and romantic relationship contexts as future research and intervention targets for understanding problematic drinking behaviors in young adulthood.