bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Role, Function, and Mechanism of Long Intergenic Noncoding RNA1184 (linc01184) in Colorectal Cancer
Authors: Sui Yan-Xia , Zhao Dong-Li , Yu Yan , Wang Lin-Chuan
Published: January 2021

Background. Long intergenic noncoding RNA1184 (linc01184) has been recently discovered; however, its role in human diseases is limited to date. The present study is aimed at investigating the expression pattern and mechanism of linc01184 in colorectal cancer (CRC) tumorigenesis. Methods. The expression of linc01184 in CRC tissues and cell lines was compared with that in normal controls. The functions of linc01184 in CRC cells were identified by overexpression and small interfering RNA (siRNA) approaches in vitro. Meanwhile, the target gene prediction software, luciferase reporter, RNA pull-down, and western blotting assays were used to analyze the oncogenic mechanism. Results. We found that linc01184 was obviously upregulated in CRC tissues and cells when compared to normal controls, and its upregulation had a positive association with the CRC progression. linc01184 knockdown significantly suppressed CRC cell proliferation and invasion and promoted apoptosis. Besides, linc01184 acted as a competitive endogenous RNA (ceRNA) by directly binding to microRNA-331 (miR-331), and its overexpression resulted in notable increases of human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2), phosphorylated Ser/Thr kinases (p-Akt), and extracellular regulated protein kinase 1/2 (p-ERK1/2) at posttranscriptional levels in CRC cells, which were antagonized by miR-331. Conclusions. The findings reveal for the first time that linc01184 is an enhancer for the proliferation and invasion of CRC by functioning as a ceRNA through the linc01184-miR-331-HER2-p-Akt/ERK1/2 pathway regulatory network.
Host-Derived Matrix Metalloproteinase-13 Activity Promotes Multiple Myeloma–Induced Osteolysis and Reduces Overall Survival
Authors: Lo Chen Hao , Shay Gemma , McGuire Jeremy J. , Li Tao , Shain Kenneth H. , Choi Jun Yong , Fuerst Rita , Roush William R. , Knapinska Anna M. , Fields Gregg B. , Lynch Conor C.
Published: February 2021

Multiple myeloma promotes systemic skeletal bone disease that greatly contributes to patient morbidity. Resorption of type I collagen–rich bone matrix by activated osteoclasts results in the release of sequestered growth factors that can drive progression of the disease. Matrix metalloproteinase-13 (MMP13) is a collagenase expressed predominantly in the skeleton by mesenchymal stromal cells (MSC) and MSC-derived osteoblasts. Histochemical analysis of human multiple myeloma specimens also demonstrated that MMP13 largely localizes to the stromal compartment compared with CD138+ myeloma cells. In this study, we further identified that multiple myeloma induces MMP13 expression in bone stromal cells. Because of its ability to degrade type I collagen, we examined whether bone stromal–derived MMP13 contributed to myeloma progression. Multiple myeloma cells were inoculated into wild-type or MMP13–null mice. In independent in vivo studies, MMP13–null mice demonstrated significantly higher overall survival rates and lower levels of bone destruction compared with wild-type controls. Unexpectedly, no differences in type I collagen processing between the groups were observed. Ex vivo stromal coculture assays showed reduced formation and activity in MMP13–null osteoclasts. Analysis of soluble factors from wild-type and MMP13–null MSCs revealed decreased bioavailability of various osteoclastogenic factors including CXCL7. CXCL7 was identified as a novel MMP13 substrate and regulator of osteoclastogenesis. Underscoring the importance of host MMP13 catalytic activity in multiple myeloma progression, we demonstrate the in vivo efficacy of a novel and highly selective MMP13 inhibitor that provides a translational opportunity for the treatment of this incurable disease.

Significance:

Genetic and pharmacologic approaches show that bone stromal–derived MMP13 catalytic activity is critical for osteoclastogenesis, bone destruction, and disease progression.
The ESR1 Mutations: From Bedside to Bench to Bedside
Authors: Hermida-Prado Francisco , Jeselsohn Rinath
Published: February 2021

The ESR1 ligand–binding mutations were unveiled a number of years ago and are the most common genetic mechanism of acquired resistance to endocrine treatment, particularly, to aromatase inhibitors. The discovery of these mutations was enabled after advancements in sequencing technologies and when metastatic tissue samples were interrogated. The ESR1 ligand–binding domain mutations are activating mutations that lead to constitutive ligand-independent activity, which explains the emergence of these mutations under the selective pressure of aromatase inhibitors. Arnesen and colleagues have generated new models of the ESR1 mutations using CRISPR technology to generate single-cell–derived clones in which the ESR1 ligand–binding mutations were “knocked-in” and expressed under the endogenous promoter of estrogen receptor. The authors have extensively characterized these models and have shed new light on the functional consequences ESR1 mutations.

See related article by Arnesen et al., p. 539
MCU Overexpression Rescues Inotropy and Reverses Heart Failure by Reducing SR Ca
2+
Leak
Authors: Liu Ting , Yang Ni , Sidor Agnieszka , O’Rourke Brian
Published: February 2021

Rationale:

In heart failure (HF), impaired sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) Ca
2+
release and cytosolic Na
+
overload depress mitochondrial Ca
2+
(mCa
2+
) signaling, resulting in a diminished ability to maintain matrix NAD(P)H redox potential, leading to increased oxidative stress when workload increases. Enhancing mCa
2+
can reverse this defect but could potentially increase the likelihood of mCa
2+
overload.

Objective:

To determine if moderate mCa
2+
uniporter (MCU) overexpression has beneficial or detrimental effects on the development of HF and incident arrythmias in a guinea pig model (ACi) of HF and sudden cardiac death.

Methods and Results:

In vivo viral gene transfer was used to increase MCU levels by ≈57% in ACi hearts. Left ventricular myocytes from hearts with MCU overexpression (ACi+MCU) displayed enhanced mCa
2+
uptake, decreased oxidative stress, and increased β-adrenergic- and frequency-dependent augmentation of Ca
2+
transients and contractions, compared with myocytes from ACi hearts. MCU overexpression decreased SR Ca
2+
leak in the ACi group and mitigated the elevated RyR (ryanodine receptor) disulfide crosslinks in HF. β-Adrenergic responses were blunted in isolated perfused ACi hearts, and these deficiencies were normalized in ACi+MCU hearts. To examine the in vivo effects of MCU overexpression, ACi hearts were transduced with the MCU virus 2 to 3 weeks after aortic constriction, at the onset of cardiac decompensation. Two weeks later, cardiac function worsened in the untreated ACi group (fractional shortening: 39±1% at 2 weeks and 32±1% at 4 weeks), whereas MCU overexpression significantly improved cardiac function (36±1% at 2 weeks and 42±2% at 4 weeks). MCU overexpression in the decompensating ACi heart also attenuated pulmonary edema and interstitial fibrosis and prevented triggered arrhythmias.

Conclusions:

Moderate MCU overexpression in failing hearts enhances contractility and responses to β-adrenergic stimulation in isolated myocytes and perfused hearts by inhibiting mitochondrial oxidative stress-induced SR Ca
2+
leak. MCU overexpression also reversed HF and inhibited ectopic ventricular arrhythmias.
Dual‐Specificity Phosphatase 26 Protects Against Cardiac Hypertrophy Through TAK1
Authors: Zhao Jing , Jiang Xiaoli , Liu Jinhua , Ye Ping , Jiang Lang , Chen Manhua , Xia Jiahong
Published: January 2021

Background

Heart pathological hypertrophy has been recognized as a predisposing risk factor for heart failure and arrhythmia. DUSP (dual‐specificity phosphatase) 26 is a member of the DUSP family of proteins, which has a significant effect on nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, neuroblastoma, glioma, and so on. However, the involvement of DUSP26 in cardiac hypertrophy remains unclear.

Methods and Results

Our study showed that DUSP26 expression was significantly increased in mouse hearts in response to pressure overload as well as in angiotensin II–treated cardiomyocytes. Cardiac‐specific overexpression of DUSP26 mice showed attenuated cardiac hypertrophy and fibrosis, while deficiency of DUSP26 in mouse hearts resulted in increased cardiac hypertrophy and deteriorated cardiac function. Similar effects were also observed in cellular hypertrophy induced by angiotensin II. Importantly, we showed that DUSP26 bound to transforming growth factor‐β activated kinase 1 and inhibited transforming growth factor‐β activated kinase 1 phosphorylation, which led to suppression of the mitogen‐activated protein kinase signaling pathway. In addition, transforming growth factor‐β activated kinase 1–specific inhibitor inhibited cardiomyocyte hypertrophy induced by angiotensin II and attenuated the exaggerated hypertrophic response in DUSP26 conditional knockout mice.

Conclusions

Taken together, DUSP26 was induced in cardiac hypertrophy and protected against pressure overload induced cardiac hypertrophy by modulating transforming growth factor‐β activated kinase 1–p38/ c‐Jun N‐terminal kinase–signaling axis. Therefore, DUSP26 may provide a therapeutic target for treatment of cardiac hypertrophy and heart failure.
Transcriptomic and Functional Analyses of Mitochondrial Dysfunction in Pressure Overload‐Induced Right Ventricular Failure
Authors: Hwang HyunTae V. , Sandeep Nefthi , Nair Ramesh V. , Hu Dong‐Qing , Zhao Mingming , Lan Ingrid S. , Fajardo Giovanni , Matkovich Scot J. , Bernstein Daniel , Reddy Sushma
Published: January 2021

Background

In complex congenital heart disease patients such as those with tetralogy of Fallot, the right ventricle (RV) is subject to pressure overload, leading to RV hypertrophy and eventually RV failure. The mechanisms that promote the transition from stable RV hypertrophy to RV failure are unknown. We evaluated the role of mitochondrial bioenergetics in the development of RV failure.

Methods and Results

We created a murine model of RV pressure overload by pulmonary artery banding and compared with sham‐operated controls. Gene expression by RNA‐sequencing, oxidative stress, mitochondrial respiration, dynamics, and structure were assessed in pressure overload‐induced RV failure. RV failure was characterized by decreased expression of electron transport chain genes and mitochondrial antioxidant genes (aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 and superoxide dismutase 2) and increased expression of oxidant stress markers (heme oxygenase, 4‐hydroxynonenal). The activities of all electron transport chain complexes decreased with RV hypertrophy and further with RV failure (oxidative phosphorylation: sham 552.3±43.07 versus RV hypertrophy 334.3±30.65 versus RV failure 165.4±36.72 pmol/(s×mL),
P
<0.0001). Mitochondrial fission protein DRP1 (dynamin 1‐like) trended toward an increase, while MFF (mitochondrial fission factor) decreased and fusion protein OPA1 (mitochondrial dynamin like GTPase) decreased. In contrast, transcription of electron transport chain genes increased in the left ventricle of RV failure.

Conclusions

Pressure overload‐induced RV failure is characterized by decreased transcription and activity of electron transport chain complexes and increased oxidative stress which are associated with decreased energy generation. An improved understanding of the complex processes of energy generation could aid in developing novel therapies to mitigate mitochondrial dysfunction and delay the onset of RV failure.
Incidence of Ventricular Arrhythmias and 1‐Year Predictors of Mortality in Patients Treated With Implantable Cardioverter‐Defibrillator Undergoing Generator Replacement
Authors: Demarchi Andrea , Cornara Stefano , Sanzo Antonio , Savastano Simone , Petracci Barbara , Vicentini Alessandro , Pontillo Lorenzo , Baldi Enrico , Frigerio Laura , Astuti Matteo , Leonardi Sergio , Ghio Stefano , Oltrona Visconti Luigi , Rordorf Roberto
Published: January 2021

Background

When implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) battery is depleted most patients undergo generator replacement (GR) even in the absence of persistent ICD indication. The aim of this study was to assess the incidence of ventricular arrhythmias and the overall prognosis of patients with and without persistent ICD indication undergoing GR. Predictors of 1‐year mortality were also analyzed.

Methods and Results

Patients with structural heart disease implanted with primary prevention ICD undergoing GR were included. Patients were stratified based on the presence/absence of persistent ICD indication (left ventricular ejection fraction ≤35% at the time of GR and/or history of appropriate ICD therapies during the first generator's life). The study included 371 patients (82% male, 40% with ischemic heart disease). One third of patients (n=121) no longer met ICD indication at the time of GR. During a median follow‐up of 34 months after GR patients without persistent ICD indication showed a significantly lower incidence of appropriate ICD shocks (1.9% versus 16.2%,P<0.001) and ICD therapies. 1‐year mortality was also significantly lower in patients without persistent ICD indication (1% versus 8.3%,P=0.009). At multivariable analysis permanent atrial fibrillation, chronic advanced renal impairment, age >80, and persistent ICD indication were found to be significant predictors of 1‐year mortality.

Conclusions

Patients without persistent ICD indication at the time of GR show a low incidence of appropriate ICD therapies after GR. Persistent ICD indication, atrial fibrillation, advanced chronic renal disease, and age >80 are significant predictors of 1‐year mortality. Our findings enlighten the need of performing a comprehensive clinical reevaluation of ICD patients at the time of GR.
Learning Slavery at Home
Authors: Livesey Andrea
Published: January 2021

Since Stephanie Camp wrote of the “rival” geography that enslaved people created on slave labor plantations, few studies outside the field of architectural history have used the built environment as a source to understand the lives of enslaved people and the mindsets of enslavers in the United States. This article takes adolescent outbuildings in Louisiana (garçonnières) as a starting point to understand how white parents taught and reinforced ideas of dominance over both the environment and enslaved people and simultaneously rooted young white sons to a slave labor plantation “home.” Using architectural evidence, alongside testimony left behind by both enslavers and the enslaved, this article argues that by moving young male enslavers out of the main plantation house and into a separate building, white enslaving parents created a “risk space” for sexual violence within the sexualized geography of the slave labor plantation. The garçonnière, with its privacy and age-and gender-specificity, constituted just one space of increased risk for enslaved women on Louisiana slave labor plantations from a violence that was manipulated within the built environment.
“Known To Be Equal to the Management”
Authors: Sandy Laura , Phillips Gervase
Published: January 2021

Enslaved overseers have largely been neglected in the extant historiography of plantation slavery. At best they have been pushed to the margins of the literature, their numbers and their significance downplayed. Yet, as large plantations diversified over the latter years of the eighteenth century, and as relations between established planters and independently minded and aspirational white overseers became prone to mistrust and friction, many prominent modernizing planters, including both Washington and Jefferson, began to experiment with unfree managers. They often proved to be skilled, dependable and, even under the pressure of the Revolutionary War, resilient. Yet their presence raised serious questions within plantation society too; they challenged white racial hegemony, and their ‘loyalty’ was a conditional and contingent quality. They occupy a unique place in the story of plantation management, one that challenges orthodox conceptions of race and power in the slave South.
Holding the Whip-Hand
Authors: Zacek Natalie
Published: January 2021

This article examines two female slaveholders, one real and one fictional, to explore the relationship between gender and slave management in both history and popular culture. Annie Palmer, the “White Witch of Rose Hall” plantation in Jamaica, although the creation of folklore and journalistic exaggeration, has functioned for a century and a half as a symbol not only of the evils of slavery but of the idea that female slaveholders’ cruelty threatened the system of slavery in a way in which that practiced by males did not. In New Orleans, Delphine Lalaurie, an elite woman renowned for her elegance and piety, became a figure of monstrosity after a house fire of 1834 revealed that her French Quarter mansion held a chamber of horrors for the enslaved, and offered a similar example of the dangers of female power in slave societies. Examining these women’s continuing presence both as historical figures and as characters in novels, television shows, and other creative productions, this article illuminates the strange career of the slaveholding woman, a figure execrated in her own era and misunderstood or ignored in contemporary historiography, yet simultaneously the subject over centuries of prurient cultural fascination.
Populism and the Rule of Recognition
Authors: Adamidis Vasileios
Published: January 2021

By reference to legal positivism and Hart’s Concept of Law, the paper argues that populism targets and aims to reconstruct the democratic rule of recognition. In particular, populism exploits the ambiguities in the nature of this social rule, by advocating the extension of the group whose consensus determines the criteria of legal validity from the restricted sphere of judges and officials, to the people at large. Populism instrumentalises the functions of the rule of recognition, aiming to provoke uncertainty in the system in order to accomplish a shift and, thus, alter the content of the rule. Infiltrating concepts with meanings that suit its ends and reordering the criteria of legal validity, populism prioritises an absolute form of popular sovereignty over a thin, dubious version of the rule of law. Nevertheless, the latter’s ambiguity allows populism to claim that the rule of law still forms part of its rule of recognition.
Perspectives of Students Labeled Intellectually Disabled at College: Using Disability Studies in Education as a Lens to Contemplate Inclusive Postsecondary Education
Authors: Bacon Jessica , Baglieri Susan
Published: January 2021

This study reports on the experiences of students with intellectual disability labels who participated in inclusive postsecondary education (ipse) at a public university. A disability studies framework is employed to discern and critique the aims of ipse programs and forefront the perspectives of persons who are identified as intellectually disabled. Qualitative participant-observation data was gathered and analyzed to describe how participants narrate ways they understand and value reciprocal relationships and working towards in(ter)dependence as productive and key aspects of their experience at a college. Implications of attending to student voice to guide our program development is discussed along with broader implications for the field.
Mapping out Violence Against Women of Influence on Twitter Using the Cyber–Lifestyle Routine Activity Theory
Authors: Kumar Priya , Gruzd Anatoliy , Mai Philip
Published: January 2021

The study applies and expands the routine activity theory to examine the dynamics of online harassment and violence against women on Twitter in India. We collected 931,363 public tweets (original posts and replies) over a period of 1 month that mentioned at least one of 101 influential women in India. By undertaking both manual and automated text analysis of “hateful” tweets, we identified three broad types of violence experienced by women of influence on Twitter: dismissive insults, ethnoreligious slurs, and gendered sexual harassment. The analysis also revealed different types of individually motivated offenders: “news junkies,” “Bollywood fanatics,” and “lone-wolves”, who do not characteristically engage in direct targeted attacks against a single person. Finally, we question the effectiveness of Twitter’s form of “guardianship” against online violence against women, as we found that a year after our initial data collection in 2017, only 22% of hostile posts with explicit forms of harassment have been deleted. We conclude that in the social media age, online and offline public spheres overlap and intertwine, requiring improved regulatory approaches, policies, and moderation tools of “capable” guardianship that empower women to actively participate in public life.
Review of Intravenous Acetaminophen for Analgesia in the Postoperative Setting
Authors: Tompkins Danielle M. , DiPasquale Arielle , Segovia Michelle , Cohn Stephen M.
Published: January 2021

Background

Acetaminophen is a non-opioid analgesic commonly utilized for pain control after several types of surgical procedures.

Methods

This scoping primary literature review provides recommendations for intravenous (IV) acetaminophen use based on type of surgery.

Results

Intravenous acetaminophen has been widely studied for postoperative pain control and has been compared to other agents such as NSAIDs, opioids, oral/rectal acetaminophen, and placebo. Some of the procedures studied include abdominal, gynecologic, orthopedic, neurosurgical, cardiac, renal, and genitourinary surgeries. Results of these studies have been conflicting and largely have not shown consistent clinical benefit.

Conclusion

Overall, findings from this review did not support the notion that IV acetaminophen has significant efficacy for postoperative analgesia. Given the limited clinical benefit of IV acetaminophen, especially when compared to the oral or rectal formulations, use is generally not justifiable.
Surgically Treated Advanced Cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Head and Neck: Outcome Predictors and the Role of Adjuvant Radiation Therapy
Authors: Kampel Liyona , Dorman Alexandra , Horowitz Gilad , Fliss Dan M. , Gutfeld Orit , Muhanna Nidal
Published: January 2021

Objectives:

Advanced cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (CSCCHN) is associated with poor outcome despite multimodality therapy. Comprehensive risk stratification may pinpoint the most suitable adjuvant treatment. This study aimed to evaluate the outcomes of surgically treated locoregional CSCCHN and to identify prognostic indicators of treatment outcomes.

Methods:

We retrospectively analyzed disease variables, pathologic characteristics, and management in association with treatment outcomes of all consecutive advanced CSCCHN patients who underwent surgical resection at Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center.

Results:

From 2008 to 2018, 74 patients met the inclusion criteria. Only perineural invasion (PNI) was significantly associated with worse overall survival (OS) ( P = .001). Location within the facial “mask areas” was significantly associated with pathologically negative cervical disease ( P = .001). Forty-seven patients underwent adjuvant radiation therapy (RT) which significantly improved OS and disease-free survival versus surgery alone ( P = .025 and P = 0.035, respectively).

Conclusion:

PNI was associated with worse OS in surgically treated advanced CSCCHN. Adjuvant RT conferred better outcomes despite high risk features.
Othering, Alienation and Establishment
Authors: Modood Tariq , Thompson Simon
Published: January 2021

This article examines the relationship between religion and the state, focusing on cases of establishment in which one religion is formally recognized. Arguing that religious establishment is wrong if it causes some citizens to feel alienated, we reject the criticism that feelings of alienation are too subjective a foundation for a robust normative case about establishment. We base our argument on an account of collective identities, which may have an ‘inside’ but are also subject to a process of othering in which a dominant group imposes an identity on a subordinate group. The establishment of a religion may contribute to othering, and the othered group may consequently be alienated from the state. However, since establishment does not always cause alienation, it is necessary to seek evidence and engage in a dialogue in order to understand a group’s own account of its experience of its situation.
Mobile App Use in Adults with Comorbid Type 2 Diabetes and Depression
Authors: Chlebowy Diane Orr , Coty Mary-Beth , Lauf Adrian , Krishnasamy Sathya , Myers John , Jaggers Jason
Published: January 2021

The purpose of this preliminary study was to determine smartphone usage, expressed level of interest, and intent to use mHealth apps among adults with comorbid type 2 diabetes (T2D) and depression. A convenience sample of adults (N=35) completed a Demographic and Mobile App Survey and the CESD-R-10. A majority reported using mobile apps (n=23, 65.7%) and felt comfortable or very comfortable using mobile apps (n=14, 46.7%). However, few respondents used a health app (n=6, 17.1%) or a diabetes-specific app for diabetes management (n=3, 8.6%). Adjusted, age and education were the two variables that independently impacted app use; those aged less than 55 years as well as those with a graduate degree were more likely to use apps. Being younger and having an advanced degree increased the odds of using a diabetes-specific app. The findings suggest that adults with T2D are amenable to using mHealth apps to manage diabetes.
Women’s Experiences of Interstitial Cystitis/Painful Bladder Syndrome
Authors: Kirkham Angela , Swainston Katherine
Published: January 2021

The aim of this study was to explore the lived experience of interstitial cystitis (IC)/painful bladder syndrome (PBS). A phenomenological approach with emphasis on reflection and openness was adopted. Twenty women diagnosed with IC an average of nine years prior to data collection produced a written account of their experiences. The textual data was analyzed using thematic analysis. Four themes were derived from data analysis: diagnostic uncertainty; restrictions and limitations on life; self-management; and interpersonal relationships and social support. Women reported issues in receiving a diagnosis of IC, undergoing numerous diagnostic tests, and experiencing multiple referrals. Having undergone numerous treatments with limited success, women sought information and management strategies outside of standard medical care and reported a negative impact on sexual and social relationships. The findings illustrate the complex nature of women’s experiences and the physical and psychological impacts and effects of IC/PBS on women’s daily lives.
Specialty Probation Officers as Street-Level Bureaucrats: Exploring How Discretion Is Perceived and Employed on a Mental Health Caseload
Authors: Terpstra Brice , Mulvey Philip
Published: January 2021

This study explores the perceptions of specialty mental health caseload probation officers and their use of discretion in day-to-day supervision of individuals with mental illness in one large jurisdiction in the United States. Scholars have examined overall effectiveness of specialty probation programs, probation officers’ roles as street-level bureaucrats, and the impact of the mental health caseload probation officer and probationer relationship on successful completion. Less attention, however, has been placed on examining how the officers supervising these specialty caseloads perceive their roles as mental health probation officers and how they use discretion in their caseload management. The current study examines the narratives of 24 specialty mental health caseload probation officers and supervisors to understand how discretion is used on a problem-solving caseload and how discretionary decision-making may impact probationer outcomes.
Motivating and Demotivating Effects of Performance-Related Pay in Swedish Public Sector Organizations
Authors: Larsson Bengt , Ulfsdotter Eriksson Ylva , Adolfsson Petra
Published: January 2021

This study contributes to the evidence on motivational effects from performance-related pay (PRP) in the public sector. The theoretical point of departure is that the practical organization and administration locally affect the motivational effects of PRP. The analysis is based on surveys administered to employees (including managers) in Swedish public sector organizations at municipal, regional, and state levels. One of the main conclusions is that PRP is not motivating or demotivating per se, but can be both motivating and demotivating within in the same organization. The (de/)motivational effect depends on the local level organization and practices of PRP, particularly the quality of the performance appraisal dialogue. While confirming the importance of justice perceptions, it also shows the effects of managers’ and employees’ preparations, knowledge of criteria, the quality of the performance appraisal dialogue, and the manager’s evaluation style, while controlling for justice perceptions and background variables.
“‘No Tough Guys Here?’: Hybrid Masculinity in a Boxing Gym”
Authors: Rabii Watoii
Published: January 2021

In this article, I explore manifest and latent discourses about masculinity in a predominantly white, middle class boxing gym. In this gym, the owner and coaches promote a discourse that emphasizes love, bridgework, and sparring with care. This discourse is part of the gym’s white-collar boxing culture. A key part of this discourse is distancing themselves from other gyms, claiming they promote a violent masculinity. While on the surface the gym criticizes certain ideals and practices associated with American hegemonic masculinity, it still reproduces discourses, norms, and practices associated with it. Employees use a latent discourse that constructs a hybrid masculinity. I argue that employees and members construct a hybrid masculinity by perpetuating ideals and practices associated with American hegemonic masculinity.
Applicability and integration of concrete additive manufacturing in construction industry: A case study
Authors: Ramadany Mohamed , Bajjou Mohamed Saad
Published: January 2021

The spread of additive manufacturing in recent years has broadened the sector of applications, namely in the construction field. This technology enables new functionalities and opportunities to be considered for the construction industry. Indeed, 3D printing processes can directly or indirectly affect the concrete material. Besides the printing processes for concrete structures, there are other indirect uses of 3D concrete printing, such as the manufacture of molds and formwork. However, its integration raises new challenges. This paper is first devoted to the state-of-the-art regarding the use of additive manufacturing in construction through a bibliographical study and an overview of various experiences in different countries. Secondly, the opportunities of such technologies for the construction sector will be discussed. Then, the issues and challenges related to the applicability and integration of concrete additive manufacturing will be highlighted. Finally, a diagnosis of the applicability and integration of concrete additive manufacturing has been made by analyzing the results of a survey of Moroccan professionals. The objective is to raise and identify key factors for successful integration.
An anti-crystallization design of selective catalytic reduction nozzle holder
Authors: Liu Dewen , Lu Kai , Liu Shusen , Wu Yan , Bai Shuzhan
Published: January 2021

From the aspect of reducing the risk of crystallization on nozzle surface, a new design of nozzle protective cover was to solve the problem in selective catalytic reduction (SCR) urea injection system. The simulation calculation and experimental verification methods were used to compare different schemes. The results show that reducing the height of nozzle holder can reduce the vortex currents near nozzle surface and effectively reduce the risk of crystallization on the nozzle surface. It is proposed to install a protective cover in the nozzle holder under the scheme of reducing the height of nozzle holder, which can further eliminate the vortex. Simulation and test results demonstrate good agreement under the rated running condition. The scheme of adding a protective cover in the nozzle holder shows the least crystallization risk by computational fluid dynamics (CFD) method. The crystallization cycle test shows that, after the height of nozzle holder is reduced, the risk of crystallization on the nozzle surface is reduced correspondingly. The addition of a protective cover in the nozzle holder solves the problem of crystallization on the nozzle surface, which provides a new method for anti-crystallization design.
Investigation of EMG parameter for transtibial prosthetic user with flexion and extension of the knee and normal walking gait: A preliminary study
Authors: Sobh Khaled Nedal Mahmoud , Abd Razak Nasrul Anuar , Abu Osman Noor Azuan
Published: January 2021

Electromyography signal has been used widely as input for prosthetic’s leg movements. C-Leg, for example, is among the prosthetics devices that use electromyography as the main input. The main challenge facing the industrial party is the position of the electromyography sensor as it is fixed inside the socket. The study aims to investigate the best positional parameter of electromyography for transtibial prosthetic users for the device to be effective in multiple movement activities and compare with normal human muscle’s activities. DELSYS Trigno wireless electromyography instrument was used in this study to achieve this aim. Ten non-amputee subjects and two transtibial amputees were involved in this study. The surface electromyography signals were recorded from two anterior and posterior below the knee muscles and above the knee muscles, respectively: tibial anterior and gastrocnemius lateral head as well as rectus femoris and biceps femoris during two activities (flexion and extension of knee joint and gait cycle for normal walking). The result during flexion and extension activities for gastrocnemius lateral head and biceps femoris muscles was found to be more useful for the control subjects, while the tibial anterior and also gastrocnemius lateral head are more active for amputee subjects. Also, during normal walking activity for biceps femoris and gastrocnemius lateral head, it was more useful for the control subjects, while for transtibial amputee subject-1, the rectus femoris was the highest signal of the average normal walking activity (0.0001 V) compared to biceps femoris (0.00007 V), as for transtibial amputee subject-2, the biceps femoris was the highest signals of the average normal walking activity (0.0001 V) compared to rectus femoris (0.00004 V). So, it is difficult to rely entirely on the static positioning of the electromyography sensor within the socket as there is a possibility of the sensor to contact with inactive muscle, which will be a gap in the control, leading to a decrease in the functional efficiency of the powered prostheses.
Call them COVIDiots: Exploring the effects of aggressive communication style and psychological distance in the communication of COVID-19
Authors: Chu Haoran , Yuan Shupei , Liu Sixiao
Published: January 2021

This study examined the influences of perceived distance to communicator on the effects of aggressive style (i.e. personal attacks and intense languages) in communicating scientific issues such as COVID-19 to the public. With a multi-site experiment ( N = 464), we found that aggression led to a heightened violation of expected social norm regarding communication styles. However, the interpretation of violation varied depending on the individual’s perceived distance to the communicator. Close distance articulated the urgency and severity of COVID-19 risks conveyed with aggression, which further increased compliance with the message. Far distance perception amplified aggression’s negative influence on writer likeability. The findings showed that aggressive communication may generate positive outcomes when dealing with public understanding of scientific issues such as COVID-19, but communicators need to build a closer connection with their audience.
Individual differences in autism traits, personality, and emotional responsiveness to music in the general population
Authors: Sivathasan Shalini , Philibert-Lignières Gwenaëlle , Quintin Eve-Marie
Published: January 2021

Little is known about the relationship between the personality and the emotional experiences of people with broader autism phenotype (BAP) or autistic traits. Given that music is a powerful vehicle for conveying emotions and that several studies show that people with and without autism spectrum disorder (ASD) typically respond to music in similar ways, the present study examines the relationship between personality, autistic traits, and emotional experiences evoked by music. A total of 110 participants ( n = 74 females) aged 18 to 35 years ( M = 21.25, SD = 3.36) completed the NEO-Five Factor Inventory-3-S, Social Responsiveness Scale-2, Autism-Spectrum Quotient, and Goldsmiths Musical Sophistication Index self-report questionnaires. Path analyses revealed that the relationship between autistic traits and emotional responsiveness to music was fully mediated by extraversion, and to a lesser extent openness to experience. These results suggest that people in the general population who have fewer autistic traits and who tend to be extraverted and open to experience report greater emotional responsiveness to music than those who are less extraverted and less open to experience. These findings suggest that it is important to consider personality characteristics when considering the relationship between autistic traits and emotional experiences.
Power to the People: The Impact of Student Personal Power on Performance in Teams
Authors: Tarr Emily K. , van Esch Chantal
Published: January 2021

This article examines teammates’ perceptions of individual expert and referent power (personal power) in student teams working on a semester-long project. In our study, we found a positive relationship between being perceived as high in personal power (expert and referent power) by teammates and faculty advisor-rated performance, measured by quality and quantity of work, efficiency, meeting team goals, meeting deadlines, and overall performance. To examine the mechanism behind this relationship, we also examined and found that expressed humility mediated the effect between teammates’ power perceptions and individual performance. These findings suggest that power plays an important role in teammates’ perceptions of individuals, in the individual’s own performance, and in how humility functions in team settings. We further discuss these results in terms of practical implications as well as implications for management educators.
A new fractional sliding mode controller based on nonlinear fractional-order proportional integral derivative controller structure to synchronize fractional-order chaotic systems with uncertainty and disturbances
Authors: Mirrezapour Seyede Zeynab , Zare Assef , Hallaji Majid
Published: January 2021

This study presents a new fractional sliding mode controller based on nonlinear fractional-order proportional integral derivative controllers to synchronize fractional-order chaotic systems with uncertainties and affected by disturbance. According to the proposed control approach, a new fractional order control law is presented which ensures robust and stable synchronization of chaotic systems in the presence of uncertainties of the master and slave systems and bounded disturbance according to Lyapunov theorem. The proposed sliding mode controller is used to synchronize two non-smooth chaotic jerk systems affected by disturbance and uncertainty. Simulation results verify effectiveness and robustness of the proposed control law.
A new numeric–symbolic procedure for variational iteration method with application to the free vibration of generalized multi-span Timoshenko beam
Authors: El-Sayed Tamer A , El-Mongy Heba H
Published: January 2021

In this article, a novel approach is introduced for the free vibration analysis of beams based upon the variational iteration method. The new approach uses a numeric–symbolic procedure that tackles the problem of increased execution time involved in symbolic integrations. This drawback is usually encountered in solving complicated free vibration problems such as stepped beams connected to lumped parameter subsystems. The proposed procedure is applied for free vibration analysis of a generalized multi-span Timoshenko beam connected to multiple lumped subsystems. Each subsystem is represented by a two-degree-of-freedom spring–mass–damper system. Several verification examples are presented where the results of the proposed numeric–symbolic variational iteration method are compared with the conventional symbolic approach symbolic variational iteration method in terms of execution time. Special attention is given to the verification of the new results against finite element modeling results and exact solutions where possible. Based on the presented results, it is shown that the new numeric–symbolic variational iteration method procedure efficiently reduces the time required for solving the free vibration problem while maintaining the high accuracy and robustness of the variational iteration method. The new procedure presented here may facilitate solving some engineering problems in which the conventional symbolic approach usually fails to solve owing to extensive memory requirements. The study contributes toward further improvements of the variational iteration method and its application to sophisticated dynamic systems.
Bifurcation analysis of vehicle shimmy system exposed to road roughness excitation
Authors: Wei Heng , Lu Jian-Wei , Ye Sheng-Yong , Lu Hang-Yu
Published: January 2021

The vertical load of the tire has a significant influence on the lateral force, so the influence of the dynamic load on vehicle shimmy should be taken into account. Based on the dynamic model of a quarter vehicle, a three-degrees-of-freedom dynamic model of the shimmy system with consideration of the road roughness excitation is established by applying the second Lagrange equation. The response characteristic of the system is investigated by the numerical simulations. Moreover, the complexification-averaging method is used to obtain the analytical expression of the shimmy angle of the front wheel, and then, the stability of periodic solutions of the system is evaluated based on the bifurcation theory. Finally, the saddle-node bifurcation and Hopf bifurcation of the shimmy system are studied. The influence of the system parameters on the bifurcation characteristic of the system is also investigated, and the results obtained by using the complexification-averaging method are compared with the numerical examples.
Nonsingular terminal sliding mode control for micro-electro-mechanical gyroscope based on disturbance observer: Linear matrix inequality approach
Authors: Jafari Maryam , Mobayen Saleh , Roth Hubert , Bayat Farhad
Published: January 2021

The aim of this article is to design a nonsingular terminal sliding mode control method based on disturbance observer for the stabilization of the micro-electro-mechanical systems under lumped perturbation. By using the nonsingular terminal sliding mode control scheme, the state trajectories of the system achieve the switching surface and approach to the origin in the finite time. Also, by utilizing the disturbance observer, the finite-time convergence of disturbance error is assured. In the process of design, the optimized coefficients of the sliding surface are calculated in the form of linear matrix inequality. Simulation results for a micro-electro-mechanical gyroscope are illustrated to exhibit the validity of the planned approach in comparison with the other methods.
A composite controller for manipulator with flexible joint and link under uncertainties and disturbances
Authors: Zhu Jiahao , Zhang Jian , Zhu Jiangling , Zeng Lingbin , Pi Yangjun
Published: January 2021

In this article, a composite controller is proposed for the manipulator with the flexible joint and link under uncertainties and time-varying disturbances. The dynamic of the system is developed by the Euler–Lagrange and assumed mode method, which is a nonlinear, strong coupling, and underacted system. Therefore, based on the singular perturbation theory, the dynamic is decomposed into a slow and fast subsystem. For the slow dynamic, a novel adaptive-gain super-twisting sliding mode controller is designed to guarantee joint tracking under the uncertainties and disturbances. For the fast dynamics, adaptive dynamic programming is used to deal with the uncertainty. The simulation result shows that the proposed composite controller can effectively track the trajectory and suppress the vibration simultaneously.
Experimental investigation on a new sensitive payload platform with simultaneous positioning and vibration suppression capabilities
Authors: Sun Xiaoqing , Hu Wei , Bai Zhuan , Yang Yikun
Published: January 2021

Precision positioning and vibration isolation are two main challenges for the sensitive payloads, to realize high quality observation. It means that on the one hand the sensitive payload should keep pace with the changes of target location for achieving alignment; on the other hand, the micro-vibrations from space cabin equipment should be suppressed for avoiding image jitter. A six-degree-of-freedom platform with simultaneous positioning and vibration suppression capabilities is proposed for replacing the original scheme with series connection of a positioning platform and a vibration isolation platform. The theoretical model of the platform with rigid payload is established and then is utilized as a constraint to conduct the passive vibration suppression optimization. Subsequently, a finite element model is constructed to verify the optimization results. Finally, experimental setups are built and tests are carried out to validate the performances. The test results demonstrate that the proposed platform possesses good simultaneous positioning and vibration suppression capabilities.
Evaluation and Decomposition of Tourism Inefficiency Considering Heterogeneous Technology: An Empirical Study from China
Authors: Zha Jianping , He Dongqin , Zhu Ying , Yang Xiaojie , Luo Mingzhi
Published: January 2021

Considering both sectoral and regional heterogeneities, this article develops a structural meta-frontier slacks-based measure data envelopment analysis model to decompose the inefficiency level, input reduction and output expansion potentials and efficiency change into three components: sectoral heterogeneity, regional heterogeneity, and resource utilization. Subsequently, an empirical study of China’s provincial tourism subsectors between 2000 and 2014 is conducted. The results show that regional heterogeneity and resource utilization failure are the main contributors to the inefficiency of travel agencies, but the inefficiency of star-rated hotels and tourist attractions are dominated by sectoral heterogeneity. The tourism inefficiency of China is mainly characterized by insufficient output rather than input redundancy, and there are significant differences in the sources of output expansion potential for different tourism subsectors. In addition, the driving force for improving the efficiency of travel agencies ascribed to resource utilization capabilities are pure technological progress and technology scale change.