bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
High Concentration of Aspirin Induces Apoptosis in Rat Tendon Stem Cells via Inhibition of the Wnt/β-Catenin Pathway
Authors: Wang Yunjiao , Tang Hong , He Gang , Shi Youxing , Kang Xia , Lyu Jingtong , Zhou Mei , Zhu Min , Zhang Jiqiang , Tang Kanglai
Published: November 2018

Background/Aims: Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are commonly used in clinical practice to relieve fever and pain. Aspirin, as a representative NSAID, has been widely used in the treatment of tendinopathy. Some reports have demonstrated that aspirin can induce apoptosis in cancer cells. However, evidence regarding aspirin treatment for tendinopathy, especially the effect of this treatment on tendon stem cells (TSCs), is lacking. Understanding the effect of aspirin on tendinopathy may provide a basis for the rational use of NSAIDs in clinical practice. The aim of our study was to determine whether aspirin induces apoptosis in rat TSCs via the Wnt/β-catenin pathway. Methods: First, we used flow cytometry and fluorescence to detect TSC apoptosis. Protein expression of the apoptosis-related caspase-3 pathway was investigated via western blot analysis. Next, we used western blotting to determine the effect of aspirin on the Wnt/β-catenin pathway. We used immunostaining to detect the levels of Bcl2, cleaved caspase-3, and P-β-catenin in the Achilles tendon. Finally, we used flow cytometry, fluorescence, and western blotting to investigate the aspirin-induced apoptosis of TSCs via the Wnt/β-catenin pathway. Results: Aspirin induced morphological apoptosis in rat TSCs via the mitochondrial/caspase-3 pathway and induced cellular apoptosis in the Achilles tendon. Apoptosis was partly reversed after adding the Wnt signaling activator Wnt3a and lithium chloride (LiCl, a GSK-3β inhibitor). Aspirin administration led to a dose-dependent increase in COX-2 expression. Apoptosis was promoted after adding the COX-2 inhibitor NS398. Conclusion: The Wnt/β-catenin pathway plays a vital role in aspirin-induced apoptosis by regulating mitochondrial/caspase-3 function. Elevating COX-2 levels may protect cells against apoptosis. More importantly, the results remind us to consider the apoptotic effect of aspirin on TSCs and tendon cells when aspirin is administered to treat tendinopathy. The relationship between the positive and negative effects of aspirin remains a subject for future study.
Ganoderic Acid A Protects Rat H9c2 Cardiomyocytes from Hypoxia-Induced Injury via Up-Regulating miR-182-5p
Authors: Zhang Xiaohong  , Xiao Can , Liu Hong
Published: November 2018

Background/Aims: Ganoderic acid A (GAA) isolated from Ganoderma lucidum, shows various benefit activities, such as anti-tumor activity, anti-HIV activity and hepatoprotective activity. However, the potential effects of GAA on hypoxia-induced injury of cardiomyocytes are still unclear. In this study, we aimed to reveal the effects of GAA on hypoxic-induced H9c2 cell injury, as well as potential underlying molecular mechanisms. Methods: Rat H9c2 cardiomyocytes were cultured in hypoxia condition with different doses of GAA. Cell viability and apoptosis were detected by CCK-8 assay and flow cytometry, respectively. qRT-PCR was performed to assess the expression levels of microRNA-182-5p (miR-182-5p) and phosphatase and tensin homologue (PTEN). Cell transfection was conducted to change the expression levels of miR-182-5p and PTEN in H9c2 cells. Finally, protein levels of key factors involved in cell proliferation, cell apoptosis and PTEN/PI3K/AKT pathway were evaluated using western blotting. Results: Hypoxia treatment significantly induced H9c2 cell viability loss and apoptosis. GAA incubation remarkably protected H9c2 cells from hypoxia-induced viability loss, proliferation inhibition and apoptosis. In addition, GAA obviously enhanced the expression level of miR-182-5p in H9c2 cells. Suppression of miR-182-5p notably alleviated the protective effects of GAA on hypoxia-treated H9c2 cells. Furthermore, miR-182-5p negatively regulated the mRNA and protein levels of PTEN in H9c2 cells. GAA attenuated hypoxia-induced inactivation of PI3K/AKT pathway in H9c2 cells by up-regulating miR-182-5p and then down-regulating PTEN. Conclusion: GAA protected rat H9c2 cardiomyocytes from hypoxia-induced injury might via up-regulating miR-182-5p, down-regulating PTEN and then activating PI3K/AKT signaling pathway.
HOXA-AS2 Promotes Proliferation and Induces Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition via the miR-520c-3p/GPC3 Axis in Hepatocellular Carcinoma
Authors: Zhang Ying , Xu Jianliang , Zhang Shaoquan , An Jun , Zhang Jin , Huang Jianglong , Jin Yi
Published: November 2018

Background/Aims: Previous studies have demonstrated that long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) may play critical roles in cancer biology, including Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The HOXA cluster antisense RNA2 (HOXA-AS2) lncRNA plays an important role in carcinogenesis, however, the underlying role of HOXA-AS2 in HCC remains unknown. The present study examined the effects of HOXA-AS2 on the progression of HCC, and explored the underlying molecular mechanisms. Methods: Quantitative real-time PCR was used to detect HOXA-AS2 expression in HCC tissues and cell lines. Furthermore, the effects of HOXA-AS2 silencing and overexpression on cell proliferation, cell cycle, apoptosis, migration, and invasion were assessed in HCC in vitro and in vivo. Furthermore, bioinformatics online programs predicted and luciferase reporter assay were used to validate the association of HOXA-AS2 and miR-520c-3p in HCC cells. Results: We observed that HOXA-AS2 was up-regulated in HCC tissues and cell lines. In vitro experiments revealed that HOXA-AS2 knockdown significantly inhibited HCC cells proliferation by causing G1 arrest and promoting apoptosis, whereas HOXA-AS2 overexpression promoted cell growth. Further functional assays indicated that HOXA-AS2 significantly promoted HCC cell migration and invasion by promoting EMT. Bioinformatics online programs predicted that HOXA-AS2 sponge miR-520c-3p at 3’-UTR with complementary binding sites, which was validated using luciferase reporter assay. HOXA-AS2 could negatively regulate the expression of miR-520c-3p in HCC cells. MiR-520c-3p was down-regulated and inversely correlated with HOXA-AS2 expression in HCC tissues. miR-520c-3p suppressed cell proliferation, invasion and migration in HCC cells, and enforced expression of miR-520c-3p attenuated the oncogenic effects of HOXA-AS2 in HCC cells. By bioinformatic analysis and dual-luciferase reporter assay, we found that miR-223-3p directly targeted the 3’-untranslated region (UTR) of Glypican-3 (GPC3), one of the key players in HCC. GPC3 was up-regulated in HCC tissues, and was negatively correlated with miR-520c-3p expression and positively correlated with HOXA-AS2 expression. Conclusion: In summary, our results suggested that the HOXA-AS2/miR-520c-3p/GPC3 axis may play an important role in the regulation of PTC progression, which could serve as a biomarker and therapeutic target for HCC.
Impact of GADD34 on Apoptosis of Tonsillar Mononuclear Cells from IgA Nephropathy Patients by Regulating Eif2α Phosphorylation
Authors: Peng Xiaofei , Yang Tao , He Liyu , Chen Xian , Jiang Yafeng , Zhang Hao , Liu Hong , Peng Youming
Published: November 2018

Background/Aims: Tonsillectomy may be an important method to achieve a long-term remission of IgAN, but patients’ physical status may limit their access to this surgery. We proposed an encouraging solution through inhibiting GADD34 expression in order to promote tonsillar mononuclear cells (TMCs) apoptosis and reduce nephropathic IgA secretion. Methods: A total of 12 IgAN and 9 non-IgAN patients were involved from March 2015 to May 2016. After TMCs were extracted by density gradient centrifugation and stimulated by inactivated hemolytic streptococcus, the mRNA and protein expression of GADD34, GRP78, CHOP, Bcl-2, Bcl-XL, AID, Iα-Cα, and cleaved caspase-3 were examined by fluorescent RT-PCR and Western blotting. Guanabenz treatment and siRNA interference were applied to downregulate GADD34 in tonsillar mononuclear cells from IgAN patients, and P-eIF2α expression was examined by Western Blotting. Cell apoptosis was evaluated by Annexin V FITC/PI flowcytometry, and IgA secretion in cultural supernatant was inspected by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay. Results: After stimulation, the expression of GADD34 was significantly increased in IgAN patients (P< 0.05). Cell apoptosis was mitigated and IgA secretion level was elevated (P< 0.05). To be noticed, CHOP expression had no significant difference between two groups. After guanabenz treatment and siRNA interference, a prolonged elevation of P-eIF2α expression was observed. Cell apoptosis was reinforced and IgA secretion level was decreased (P< 0.05). Conclusion: GADD34 may be a potential therapeutic target for IgAN treatment due to its effect on cell apoptosis.
Petrophysical characterization of coquinas from Morro do Chaves Formation (Sergipe-Alagoas Basin) by x-ray computed tomography
Authors: Belila Aline Maria Poças , Kuroda Michelle Chaves , Souza João Paulo Da Ponte , Vidal Alexandre Campane , Trevisan Osvair Vidal
Published: November 2018

Carbonate rocks constitute a large number of petroleum reservoirs worldwide. Notwithstanding, the characterization of these rocks is still a challenge due to their high complexity and pore space variability, indicating the importance of further studies to reduce uncertainty in reservoir interpretation and characterization. This work was performed for coquina samples from Morro do Chaves Formation (Sergipe-Alagoas Basin), analogous to important Brazilian reservoirs. Computed tomography (CT) was used for three-dimensional characterization of rock structure. The neural network named Self-Organizing Maps (SOM) was used for CT images segmentation. According to our tests, CT demonstrated to be a consistent tool for quantitative and qualitative analysis of heterogeneous pore space, by the evaluation of porosity, connectivity and the representative elementary volume.
Auréola termal provocada pela intrusão do pluton Totoró em micaxistos do Grupo Seridó, Ediacarano da Província Borborema, NE do Brasil
Authors: Chagas Cleber Felix , Souza Zorano Sergio de , Moreira José Antônio De Morais
Published: November 2018

A Província Borborema, NE do Brasil, é marcada por volumoso plutonismo ediacarano. Neste contexto geológico, o plutão Totoró, um corpo alongado NNE-SSW, compõe-se de uma sequência de tipos básicos a intermediários, incluindo dioritos e gabro-noríticos (mais precoces), granodioritos / tonalitos (predominante), biotita granitos equigranulares, biotita granitos porfiríticos e hololeucogranitos finos a médios. Dados químicos permitem estimar pressões de 1,6-2,7 kbar e temperaturas de 800-900oC para sua colocação. O calor aportado provocou uma auréola termal que se estende até 2 km do contato, constituída por: (i) xisto migmatizado imediatamente adjacente ao contato, com frequentes soleiras de leucossoma subconcordantes com a trama tectônica S2 da encaixante; (ii) uma zona intermediária com sillimanita (± cordierita + granada + biotita); (iii) uma zona com aparecimento de cordierita (± estaurolita ± andaluzita + granada + biotita); e (iv) uma zona externa com micaxisto de fina granulação. Modelamento baseado em petrofísica de rocha mostra que a temperatura na borda do plutão atingiu 688-756°C, diminuindo para 500oC a 1800 m do contato, com tempo de resfriamento estimado de 365.000 anos. Os minerais produzidos no efeito termal delineiam a xistosidade S2, de baixo ângulo (evento D2/M2 na fácies anfibolito ou piroxênio hornfels), os quais são afetados por dobras abertas a fechadas, normais, progredindo para forte transposição e milonitos em zona de cisalhamento NE-SW a N-S, representando o último evento dúctil, retrometamórfico (fácies xisto verde), na região (D3/M3). Os resultados obtidos revelam que pelo menos parte dos batólitos na região em tela se posicionou em níveis crustais relativamente rasos sob condições de alto gradiente geotérmico, porém ainda registrando a fase de arrefecimento da tectônica dúctil regional.
Anisotropia e confinamento hidráulico do Sistema Aquífero Guarani em Ribeirão Preto (SP, Brasil)
Authors: Wahnfried Ingo , Fernandes Amélia , Hirata Ricardo , Maldaner Carlos , Varnier Cláudia , Ferreira Luciana , Iritani Mara , Pressinotti Márcia
Published: November 2018

Um teste de bombeamento com 171 horas de duração e vazão constante foi realizado no Sistema Aquífero Guarani (SAG) para obter seus parâmetros hidráulicos e testar a existência de drenança através de um pacote de 84 metros  de basalto do Aquitarde Serra Geral, que o recobre, e através dos sedimentos da Formação Corumbataí, sotoposta a ele. O ensaio foi realizado em um poço de bombeamento com monitoramento da carga hidráulica em dois piezômetros multiníveis, localizados no Distrito de Bonfim Paulista, pertencente ao município de Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, e situado 10 km ao sul da área urbana dessa cidade. Os resultados indicaram a inexistência de drenança; e o rebaixamento do nível de água registrado nas duas direções distintas em que os piezômetros com filtros no SAG foram instalados em relação ao poço de bombeamento permitiu determinar a existência de anisotropia da condutividade hidráulica. Os parâmetros hidráulicos obtidos com esse ensaio, após correção dos dados para penetração parcial do poço de bombeamento e presença de anisotropia, foram a condutividade hidráulica de 5,3 × 10-6 e 8,1 × 10-6 m/s, e o coeficiente de armazenamento de 1,6 × 10-3 e 8,4 × 10-4 para os piezômetros PPE-1G e PPE-2G, respectivamente. A orientação do eixo com maior valor de transmissividade (Tx = 1,9 × 10-3 m2/s) é N-S, e a de menor (Ty = 1,2 × 10-3 m2/s) é E-W. No plano horizontal, a relação entre esses valores é de 1,55. A ausência de estabilização do nível de água durante o bombeamento no SAG indica que a drenança é insignificante ou inexistente, tanto nos basaltos quanto através da Formação Corumbataí.
Three new caespitose species of Senecio (Senecioneae, Compositae) from Central Andes
Authors: CALVO JOEL , FUENTES ALFREDO F.
Published: November 2018

Three new species of Senecio belonging to the group of discoid caespitose species are described from the high Andes of Bolivia. One of them is also recorded from southern Peru. Special emphasis is placed on the color of the anthers, style-branches, and corollas, which are useful characters that were undervalued in previous taxonomic treatments dealing with this species assemblage. The three species are illustrated and pictures of living plants are included when available.
Gomphonema wuyiensis sp. nov., a new freshwater species (Bacillariophyceae) from Wuyi Mountains, China
Authors: ZHANG WEI , DU CAILI , KOCIOLEK J. PATRICK , ZHAO TING-TING , WANG LI-QING
Published: November 2018

During a survey of freshwater diatoms from Xingjiang River in the north region of the Wuyi Mountains, Jiangxi Province, China, a new Gomphonema species, Gomphonema wuyiensis sp. nov., was recorded. A detailed morphological description of G. wuyiensis is herein presented, based on light and scanning electron microscopy. LM and SEM micrographs show the size ranges and ultrastructural details of the new species. Gomphonema wuyiensis sp. nov. is characterized by valve outline asymmetrical to the apical axis. In addition, the valve outline on the primary side strongly tapers from the middle part to the footpole, and less strongly on the secondary side. In addition, distinctive morphological features and ecology of the taxon are discussed.
The identity of Stemodia lanceolata (Plantaginaceae) and its occurrence in Brazil
Authors: SCATIGNA ANDRÉ VITO , SOSA MARIA DE LAS MERCEDES , SOUZA VINICIUS CASTRO , SIMÕES ANDRÉ OLMOS
Published: November 2018

In this contribution, we reassess the identity of Stemodia lanceolata (Plantaginaceae) and confirm its occurrence in Brazilian territory. We present a detailed and updated description, a fine illustration, and photographs of this species, along with comments on its distribution, habitat and phenology, and notes on taxonomic affinities. Stemodia lanceolata is characterized by its stiffy erect terminal inflorescence with filamentous aspect due to the long, linear-triangular, frequently out-curved floral bracts. Finally, we propose second-step lectotypifications for three names subordinated to S. lanceolata.
Two new species of Xyalidae (Monhysterida, Nematoda) from the East China Sea
Authors: WANG CHUNMING , AN LIGUO , HUANG YONG
Published: November 2018

Two new free-living nematode species of the family Xyalidae Chitwood, 1951 found in the East China Sea are described. Daptonema donghaiensis sp. nov. is characterized by epidermal chords of transparent cells present in most parts of the body; amphideal fovea approximately two times head diameter from anterior body end; L-shaped spicules with cephalate proximal end; tubular gubernaculums; and conico-cylindrical tail with long cylindrical portion. Cobbia heterospicula sp. nov. is characterized by slender body, buccal cavity with one dorsal tooth and two small subventral teeth; amphideal fovea far from the anterior body end; spicules that are paired but unequal in size, with right spicule longer and left spicule shorter; gubernaculums with dorsal apophyses; and conico-cylindrical tail with long filiform portion. An identification key to valid species of the genus Cobbia is given.
A new four-pored Amphisbaena (Squamata: Amphisbaenidae) from northeastern Brazil
Authors: DE ALMEIDA JOÃO PAULO FELIX AUGUSTO , DE FREITAS MARCO ANTONIO , DA SILVA MÁRCIO BORBA , VALVERDE MARIA CELESTE COSTA , RODRIGUES MIGUEL TREFAUT , PIRES ADRIANO MOREIRA , MOTT TAMÍ
Published: November 2018

A new species of Amphisbaena from the Espinhaço Mountain Range in Bahia State is described based on morphological and molecular data. Amphisbaena caetitensis sp nov. is a small four-pored amphisbaenian with 186–194 body annuli, 10–12 tail annuli, 16 dorsal and 19–22 ventral segments on a midbody annulus and a strikingly distinctive tail tip. The most similar species is A. uroxena, but they can be distinguished by some morphological features besides the genetic divergence of 7.65% on the mitochondrial 16S rRNA.
Application of Different Fourier Transform Infrared (FT-IR) Methods in the Characterization of Lime-Based Mortars with Oxblood
Authors: Zhang Kun , Corti Cristina , Grimoldi Alberto , Rampazzi Laura , Sansonetti Antonio
Published: November 2018

Organic compounds have frequently been added into lime mortars for property modifications, in order to satisfy various functional needs in building techniques. This study applies Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy in transmission, reflection, and attenuated total reflection (ATR) modes to characterize lime-based mortar specimens containing oxblood, which has been used as additive as a common practice of long history in many parts of the world. The specimens were prepared basing upon a 19th-century Italian historic recipe, with the intention to have a better understanding on the possible characteristics of such mortars. Thermal analysis, color measurement, and static contact angle test were also used. After curing, the specimens show a distinctive dark-red color on the top surface, which is different from the bulk. Color measurements on the surface suggest that this color was formed at an early stage and was able to maintain stable for a relatively long period of time. Both transmission and reflection FT-IR confirm the preferential accumulation of proteins on the top surface, which should have induced their water repellency according to the static contact angle test. In addition, specimens show weaker calcite bands in FT-IR transmission, reflection, as well as ATR spectra; the pattern of ATR spectra after the thermal analysis to 500 °C suggests the formation of amorphous calcium carbonate, which is related to the presence of oxblood.
Claiming the space, creating the future
Authors: Green Sue , Russ-Smith Jessica , Tynan Lauren
Published: November 2018

Academia is a world based on individualism and competitiveness, which for Indigenous peoples, and particularly Indigenous women, is culturally unsafe. Furthermore, whilst the academy is rushing forward to be inclusive of Indigenous peoples, cultures and knowledges, it does so whilst still maintaining its structures of white, patriarchal privilege. Hence, the academy is a place that frequently leaves Indigenous women feeling isolated and patronised and questioning if there is a place for them. However, despite the barriers and the obstacles of academia, Indigenous women continue to enter and carve out a place for themselves and for other Indigenous women. This article, through the words of each of the three women, will explore their experiences as an Associate Professor and two PhD students on their journeys of claiming their places within the academia as Indigenous women. In the recent past, each of these women has separately and together worked to create and claim their places within the academy. This article will conclude with advice for the upcoming generations of Indigenous women academics on how to stand strong and, most importantly, in solidarity with one another.
Using bridges made by others as scaffolding and establishing footings for those that follow: Indigenous women in the Academy
Authors: Fredericks Bronwyn , White Nereda
Published: November 2018

The first recorded Aboriginal person to graduate with an undergraduate qualification from any Australian university was Aboriginal woman Margaret Williams-Weir in 1959 ( Melbourne University, 2018 ). Williams-Weir graduated with a Diploma in Education. There have now been six decades of graduating Indigenous Australian women in the discipline of education, and many other disciplines. In this article, we explore Indigenous women’s presence in higher education through the narratives of our lives as Aboriginal women within education and the lives of other Indigenous women, noting their achievements and challenges. We acknowledge that while the number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women participating in university study and becoming engaged in education as a discipline at undergraduate and postgraduate levels has increased, we are still significantly underrepresented. Similarly, while we have seen increases in Indigenous university staff within the education discipline, the employment of Indigenous academics has not reached parity with non-Indigenous academics levels and too few are employed in the professoriate and in senior management positions. We will show how we would not have been able to develop our education careers within higher education without the bridges built by those like Dr Williams-Weir and others who went before us. We will share how we have worked to establish the footings for those Indigenous women who will follow us and others. In this way, we work within the context that is for the now and the future.
The (co)evolution of human rights advocacy: Understanding human rights issue emergence over time
Authors: Park Baekkwan , Murdie Amanda , Davis David R
Published: November 2018

How does the discussion of human rights issues change over time? Without advocates adopting a human rights issue in the first place, international ‘shaming’ cannot occur. In this article, we examine how human rights discussions converge and diverge around new frames and new issues over time. Human rights norms do not evolve alone; their prevalence, framing, and focus are all dependent on how they relate to other norms in the advocacy community. Drawing on over 30,000 documents from dozens of human rights organizations from 1990 to 2011, we provide a temporal overview and visualization of the ebb and flow of human rights issues. Using our new dataset and state-of-the-art methods from computer science, our approach allows us to quantitatively examine (a) how new issues emerge in the advocacy network, (b) the relationship of these new issues to extant human rights advocacy and information, and (c) how the framing and specificity of these issues change over time. By focusing on the process by which a new issue gets incorporated into the work of advocates, we provide an empirical assessment of the first step in the causal process connecting shaming to improvement in human rights practices.
Supported housing for persons with serious mental illness and personal recovery: What do families think?
Authors: Piat Myra , Seida Kimberly
Published: November 2018

Background and aims:

Previous research on supported housing for people with serious mental illness focuses primarily on tenant/client experiences. The aim of this article is to present families’ perspectives on the role of supported housing in recovery, utilizing the CHIME framework of personal recovery.

Method:

Qualitative interviews were conducted with 14 families of individuals with serious mental illness living in supported housing. Participants were across five supported housing sites in four Canadian provinces.

Results:

Families credited supported housing with helping tenants redefine a positive sense of identity, re-establish social relationships and regain control over their lives. Families were less confident about supported housing facilitating future employment or ‘full’ recovery, focusing on stability rather than continual improvement.

Conclusion:

This is one of the first studies to report family perspectives on the role of supported housing in their loved one’s recovery processes – both strengths and weaknesses.
Effects of salt water on the ballistic protective performance of bullet-resistant body armour
Authors: Dodd S , Malbon C , Critchley R , Lankester C , O’Rourke S , Corke T , Carr DJ
Published: November 2018

Bullet-resistant body armour is used by law enforcement agencies and military personnel worldwide, often in inclement weather. Some fibre types used in body armour perform poorly when wet, resulting in a reduced level of protection; this is why most body armour protective elements are water-repellent treated and/or protected by a water-resistant cover. Some of the users operate in the maritime environment. The effect of salt water on body armour performance has not been previously reported. In this work the effect of soaking body armour in salt water and exposing body armour for up to 10 soaking and drying cycles in salt water was investigated. The effectiveness of the water-resistant cover was investigated by considering three cover conditions: (i) intact, (ii) cut and (iii) removed. Wet armour was heavier and provided significantly less protection from 9 mm Luger FMJ ammunition when compared to not-exposed armour irrespective of cover condition. A degradation in performance of armours exposed to soaking and drying cycles was noted, but this was similar across all regimes considered (one, three, five and ten cycles) and not as great as for wet armours.
Attitudes Toward Punishment, Organizational Commitment, and Cynicism: A Multilevel Analysis of Staff Responses in a Juvenile Justice Agency
Authors: Kras Kimberly R. , Dmello Jared R. , Meyer Kimberly S. , Butterfield Allison E. , Rudes Danielle S.
Published: November 2018

Staff commitment to agency goals is important in juvenile justice settings, where the mission oscillates between the often-competing goals of rehabilitating youth and punishing them. Although prior research considers how staff characteristics relate to commitment to, and/or cynicism about, criminal justice organizations, less work examines these relationships in juvenile justice settings, and even less examines the effects of staff attitudes toward punishment. The current study assesses the influence of rehabilitative and punitive attitudes on organizational commitment and cynicism in a juvenile justice agency ( n = 204). Multilevel analyses evaluating staff members within organizational units reveal that staff holding more traditional (punitive) attitudes are significantly and positively associated with cynicism, whereas staff holding rehabilitative values demonstrate greater commitment to the agency. Findings suggest attitudes toward punishment play an important role in staff commitment to, and cynicism about, justice organizations, which may affect workers’ adherence to organizational policies and goals.
A generalizability theory study of optimal measurement design for a summative assessment of English/Chinese consecutive interpreting
Authors: Han Chao
Published: November 2018

Summative assessment of interpretation is widely conducted in interpreting courses/programs to inform high-stakes decision making, such as the selection, certification, and conferral of academic degrees. Yet there has been very limited empirical research to investigate the score dependability of summative interpretation assessment. The present study therefore sets out to explore the optimal measurement design(s) for a locally created summative assessment of English/Chinese consecutive interpretation, based on multiple fully crossed generalizability studies. Major findings include the following: (a) overall the raters behaved more consistently by using the information completeness (InfoCom) scale rather than the fluency of delivery (FluDel) or target language quality (TLQual) scales; (b) the raters displayed greater variability in evaluating the Chinese-to-English interpretation rather than the English-to-Chinese interpretation; (c) although adding tasks worked more effectively in raising score dependability than using additional raters for the InfoCom ratings in the English-to-Chinese interpretation, the pattern was reversed for the other observations; and (d) two potentially optimal designs were identified for the English-to-Chinese direction, and one design for the other direction. These results are discussed, highlighting the complex nature of relationships among the assessment criterion, the interpreting directionality, the raters’ dominant language and score dependability, together with the need to ensure score dependability for summative interpretation assessment.
False diagnosis of and needless therapy for presumed gestational trophoblastic disease in women with an unusual site of residual pregnancy
Authors: Gao Tong , Sun Mingming , Yao Liangqing , Jiang Wei
Published: November 2018

Objective

This study aimed to determine the diagnostic value of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), hysteroscopy, and laparoscopy to avoid unnecessary treatment when patients present with clinical manifestations that are close to those of gestational trophoblastic neoplasia (GTN).

Methods

Three patients who were falsely diagnosed with presumed GTN and received needless chemotherapy in our hospital from July 2011 to March 2012 were studied. We also reviewed data of patients with similar clinical features who were diagnosed as having residual pregnancy in recent years. Clinical manifestations were evaluated.

Results

All three patients had persistently high serum β-human chorionic gonadotrophin levels and a mass with abundant blood supply in the uterus after termination of pregnancy. The patients were diagnosed with GTN and underwent chemotherapy. They responded poorly to chemotherapy and underwent surgery. The pathological diagnosis in all patients was residual pregnancy. In recent years, no patients were misdiagnosed because pelvic MRI, hysteroscopy, or laparoscopy was used when residual pregnancy could not be excluded.

Conclusion

Gynecologists should diagnose carefully when patients present with clinical manifestations that are close to those of GTN to avoid unnecessary treatment. MRI, hysteroscopy, and laparoscopy could be important examinations for excluding residual pregnancy.
Anesthetic management of a patient with an unusual broken tracheostomy tube: a case report
Authors: Bo Li-Jun , Yu Pei-Xia , Qi Xiang , Kang Rong-Tian
Published: November 2018

Objective

This study was performed to investigate the management of general anesthesia in an unusual case involving a patient with a broken tracheostomy tube presenting as an airway foreign body.

Methods

We herein describe the anesthetic management of a patient with a broken tracheostomy tube. A 77-year-old Chinese man who had been involved in a car accident underwent a tracheostomy. One year later, he presented with cough and bleeding at the tracheostomy site. Preoperative evaluation revealed that the metal tracheostomy tube was lodged in his left main bronchus. General anesthesia was induced to maintain spontaneous breathing, and adequate topical anesthesia of the airway was administered.

Results

The metal tracheostomy tube was successful removed, and a new tracheal tube was put in place.

Conclusions

General anesthesia to maintain spontaneous breathing and adequate topical anesthesia of the airway can be safely used when removing broken tracheostomy tubes.
Aural identification of harmonic intervals: An observational study at the Girona Music Conservatory (Catalonia, Spain)
Authors: Ponsatí Imma , Miranda Joaquim , Amador Miquel , Godall Pere
Published: November 2018

This study evaluated the design of a teaching method to improve aural identification of harmonic intervals (m2–P8). Three groups of first-year professional-grade music theory students aged 11–13 ( N = 25) at the Girona Music Conservatory (Catalonia, Spain) were given 20 lessons. All groups were taught using the same method. Observational methodology was used, with teachers acting as participant observers who systematically registered their observations in field diaries and were then interviewed at the end of the experiment. Assessments confirmed that the proposal was generally effective, as the design allowed students to improve. However, the experiment highlighted the fact that difficulties lie mainly in the aural identification of the TT, m6, M6, m7 and M7 intervals. The relationship between this general difficulty and other, more specific patterns observed during this study suggests that the design of the teaching method requires more flexibility to be adaptable to the different nature of each interval and the way in which the intervals tend to be perceived and processed. Knowledge of the most difficult aspects of the teaching proposal that was tested may guide us in designing what, how and when to teach.
The Adapted Self-Report Delinquency Scale for Adolescents: Validity and Reliability Among Portuguese Youths
Authors: Pechorro Pedro , Houghton Stephen , Simões Mário R. , Carroll Annemaree
Published: November 2018

Self-report delinquency scales have contributed greatly to the contemporary basis of our understanding of juvenile delinquency. Nevertheless, they have not been immune to criticism and further improvement and extensive measurement research is still necessary. The present study examined the psychometric properties of one such measure of self-reported delinquency, the Adapted Self-Report Delinquency Scale (ASRDS). The ASRDS was administered to a Portuguese sample of male youths ( N = 470, 12-20 years of age), subdivided into a forensic sample ( n = 217) and a school sample ( n = 253). The Portuguese version of the ASRDS demonstrated satisfactory psychometric properties, in terms of its factor structure, internal consistency, convergent validity, discriminant validity, criterion-related validity, and known-groups validity, thereby justifying its use among this population.
Modeling Cyclist Route Choice using Revealed Preference Data: An Age and Gender Perspective
Authors: Misra Aditi , Watkins Kari
Published: November 2018

Perception of safety varies among cyclists depending on their cycling experience and frequency as well as on their socio-demographic attributes, particularly age and gender. Female cyclists are often more likely to feel unsafe than their male counterparts under similar traffic conditions or surrounding environment. In general, female cyclists are known to avoid slopes and high traffic, and prefer shorter trips than their male counterparts. However, there is no research that has yet explicitly modeled the differences in route choice between female and male cyclists using revealed preference data. In this research, we use GPS enabled smartphone based route data to develop segmented route choice models for different age groups and genders. The results indicate that segmented models are significantly better representatives of route choices made by female and male cyclists than pooled models. The findings suggest that traffic characteristics such as speed and annual average daily traffic (AADT) influence the decision to choose a particular route differently for female cyclists and male cyclists. Similar results are seen across different age groups as well. Preference towards routes with cycling facilities are however universal and no significant difference is noted among gender or age segments in this regard.
Potential benefits of near critical and supercritical pre-treatment of lignocellulosic biomass towards anaerobic digestion
Authors: Rosero-Henao Jenny Carolina , Bueno Beatriz Egerland , de Souza Raquel , Ribeiro Rogers , Lopes de Oliveira Alessandra , Gomide Catarina Abdalla , Gomes Tamara Maria , Tommaso Giovana
Published: November 2018

Vegetable crop residues, such as sugarcane bagasse (SCB), despite their limited biodegradability, are potential materials for anaerobic processes because of their low cost, high availability, and sugar content. The difficulty of biodegrading this type of material is primarily related to its chemical composition and to the complex interactions between its compounds (cellulose, hemicelluloses, and lignin). Thus, the following supercritical and near critical carbon dioxide (CO2) pre-treatments were evaluated with and without the addition of sodium hydroxide (NaOH): (i) 40°C/70 kgf·cm−2; (ii) 60°C/200 kgf·cm−2; and (iii) 80°C/200 kgf·cm−2, aiming to enhance the anaerobic biodegradability of SCB. The methanogenic production of SCB increased in all cases in which the material was pre-treated, except the case in which NaOH was used together with a high temperature. The condition using CO2 at 60°C/200 kgf·cm−2 was highlighted with a lignin removal of 8.07% and an accumulated methane production of 0.6498 ± 0.014 LN (273.15K, 1.01325 × 105 Pa), 23.4% higher than the value obtained with the untreated material. This condition also showed the highest net energy at the energy balance that was calculated for comparison with the tested conditions. The results showed that pre-treatments with near critical and supercritical fluids have the potential to reduce structural obstacles of lignocellulosic materials and to enhance their anaerobic biodegradability.
Attitudes and the Stalled Gender Revolution: Egalitarianism, Traditionalism, and Ambivalence from 1977 through 2016
Authors: Scarborough William J. , Sin Ray , Risman Barbara
Published: November 2018

Empirical studies show that though there is more room for improvement, much progress has been made toward gender equality since the second wave of feminism. Evidence also suggests that women’s advancements have been more dramatic in the public sphere of work and politics than in the private sphere of family life. We argue that this lopsided gender progress may be traced to uneven changes in gender attitudes. Using data from more than 27,000 respondents who participated in the General Social Survey from 1977 through 2016, we show that gender attitudes have more than one underlying dimension and that these dimensions have changed at different rates over time. Using latent class analysis, we find that the distribution of respondents’ attitudes toward gender equality has changed over the past 40 years. There has been an increase in the number of egalitarians who support equality in public and private spheres, while the traditionals who historically opposed equality in both domains have been replaced by ambivalents who feel differently about gender equality in the public and private spheres. Meanwhile, successive birth cohorts are becoming more egalitarian, with Generation-Xers and Millennials being the most likely to hold strong egalitarian views. The feminist revolution has succeeded in promoting egalitarian views and decreasing the influence of gender traditionalism, but has yet to convince a substantial minority that gender equality should extend to both public and private spheres of social life
Nonlinear model predictive control of spacecraft relative motion
Authors: Felisiak Piotr A , Sibilski Krzysztof S , Qin Kaiyu , Li Gun , Wróblewski Wiesław A
Published: November 2018

This investigation deals with the problem of spacecraft relative motion control, which is typically associated with the spacecraft rendezvous and proximity maneuvers. Relative position and linear velocity are considered. A distinguishing attribute of the presented approach is consideration of definitely larger relative distance between the satellites than it is commonly addressed in the literature. The presented control method is applicable in the case where the chief satellite moves in a known, highly elliptical orbit. A quasi-optimal control is found by a model predictive control algorithm, where the nonlinear optimization problem is reduced to quadratic optimization by preliminary estimation of the future control trajectory. Significance of the method has been verified using a computer simulation.
From Evolutive Paranoia, by August Wimmer (1902)
Authors: Berrios German E , Schioldann Johan , Schioldann Johan
Published: November 2018

Literature on the history of ‘paranoia’ (as a clinical concept) is large and confusing. This is partly explained by the fact that over the centuries the word ‘paranoia’ has been made to participate in several convergences (clinical constructs), and hence it has named different forms of behaviour and been linked to different explanatory concepts. The Classic Text that follows provides information on the internal clinical evolution of the last convergence in which ‘paranoia’ was made to participate. August Wimmer maps the historical changes of ‘ Verrücktheit’ as it happened within the main European psychiatric traditions since the early 19th century. After World War II, that clinical profile was to become reified and renamed as ‘delusional disorder’.
Tensions between quantity and quality in social investment agendas: Working conditions of ECEC teaching staff in Italy and Spain
Authors: León Margarita , Ranci Costanzo , Sabatinelli Stefania , Ibáñez Zyab
Published: November 2018

Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) has become a strategic component of the Social Investment (SI) paradigm. Growth in this field of social policy – quantified as an increase in public spending and coverage rates – is often taken as indicative of a wider attempt to reformulate welfare state intervention through an SI approach. However, SI agendas have produced differentiated impacts in different contexts. In scenarios of budget restraints, some governments have increased coverage and controlled costs at the same time by allowing for higher staff-to-child ratios and group sizes, externalizing management costs or worsening the working conditions of professionals. These strategies can severely compromise the quality of the provision offered. This is likely to have more effect in those contexts in which provision needs to be developed under more stringent conditions of financial viability. The article analyses two such cases, Italy and Spain, where general conditions of permanent austerity are combined with a comparatively reduced capacity for public spending. Focusing on the qualifications and the working conditions of professionals working in ECEC as a fundamental aspect of the quality of provision, this article compares the two segments of ECEC: early child development (0–2) and pre-primary education (3–5), in both Italy and Spain since the early 1990s. The working conditions of primary school teachers are taken as a frame of reference. We conclude that, despite the fact that there has been an overall expansion of ECEC in both countries, only the (early) policy developments in pre-schooling can be seen as conforming to what have lately been codified as the principles of an SI strategy; at the same time an evident tension exists between the expansion and the quality of provision in the more recent development of childcare services for very young children.
Improving survival in end-stage renal disease: A case study
Authors: Elsensohn MH , Dantony E , Iwaz J , Villar E , Couchoud C , Ecochard R
Published: November 2018

Background: With the increase of life expectancy, *On behalf of the REIN registry. end-stage renal disease (ESRD) is affecting a growing number of people. Simultaneously, renal replacement therapies (RRTs) have considerably improved patient survival. We investigated the way current RRT practices would affect patients' survival.

Methods: We used a multi-state model to represent the transitions between RRTs and the transition to death. The concept of “crude probability of death” combined with this model allowed estimating the proportions of ESRD-related and ESRD-unrelated deaths. Estimating the ESRD-related death rate requires comparing the mortality rate between ESRD patients and the general population. Predicting patients' courses through RRTs and Death states could be obtained by solving a system of Kolmogorov differential equations. The impact of practice on patient survival was quantified using the restricted mean survival time (RMST) which was compared with that of healthy subjects with same characteristics.

Results: The crude probability of ESRD-unrelated death was nearly zero in the youngest patients (18–45 years) but was a sizeable part of deaths in the oldest (≥70 years). Moreover, in the oldest patients, the proportion of expected death was higher in patient without vs. with diabetes because the former live older. In men aged 75 years at first RRT, the predicted RMSTs in patients with and without diabetes were, respectively, 61% and 69% those of comparable healthy men.

Conclusion: Using the concept of “crude probability of death” with multi-state models is feasible and useful to assess the relative benefits of various treatments in ESRD and help patient long-term management.
Effect of hard segments content on the properties, structure and biodegradation of nonisocyanate polyurethane
Authors: Białkowska A , Mucha K , Przybyłek M , Bakar M
Published: November 2018

The present study investigates the biodegradation of synthesized condensation nonisocyanate polyurethanes (NIPUs). It was prepared by reacting phenol sulphonic acid and oligooxypropylene diol and formaldehyde and contained different amounts of hard segments (HSs). Polyurethane samples were submitted to biodegradation with microorganisms R-14 and in garden soil. The tensile strength (TS), relative elongation at break and weight loss of the prepared samples were evaluated and their structure and morphology analysed. It was found that maximum decrease of the TS of all tested NIPU samples occurred only after 7 days of biodegradation. Maximum TS decrease attained was approximately 70% and 75%, respectively, for NIPU based on 0.8-mol and 1-mol HS. Moreover, significant decrease of relative elongation at break and weight loss values after biodegradation in culture R-14 for NIPU samples based on 0.9-mol HS and 1-mol HS was observed. Fourier transform infrared and scanning electron microscopic results confirmed that biodegradation occurred in urea or urethane groups. The glass transition of HSs decreased by at least 20°C due to biodegradation, suggesting that this later took place almost only in the crystalline region of NIPU samples.