bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Monitoring and data use in developing countries
Authors: Eddy-Spicer David , Ehren Melanie , Bangpan Mukdarut
Published: May 2019

Purpose

The collection and dissemination of standardized performance information about students, teachers, schools and school systems offer potentially important tools for school accountability and resource allocation as well as school improvement in developing countries. However, performance monitoring systems in developing countries are in many cases copied from those in high-income countries without a clear understanding of their functioning in contexts of limited resources and capacity for change. The purpose of this paper is to examine the conditions under which and the mechanisms through which system-wide performance monitoring affects school-level organization and processes in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).

Design/methodology/approach

The review employs realist synthesis because of the complexity and dynamism of conditions in LMICs, the wide variability in available literature and the aim of explaining how particular organizational outcomes arise, given particular conditions. The authors draw on findings from a systematic review of 22 studies and reports, published since 2001, related to the implementation of performance monitoring.

Findings

The findings highlight key barriers to the use of data to inform school accountability and improvement. Capacity to collect, interpret and use data is an important condition to both effective external accountability as well as improvement of schools.

Originality/value

The review uses realist approaches to building middle-level theories to help scholars, educational advisers, policy makers and educational leaders understand the causal processes that result in certain outcomes from monitoring activities and to identify the conditions that are necessary for those processes to have the desired outcomes.
The role of empathy in the service experience
Authors: Tan Adrian Heng Tsai , Muskat Birgit , Johns Raechel
Published: May 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the role of empathy in the student service experience. Taking a dyadic perspective, both students’ and staff’s perceptions are analyzed to determine if empathy matters to both actors alike; and which differences in perceptions about the role of empathy between these actors exist.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors adopt a multi-method approach and used data from 256 usable survey responses from 11 higher education service providers in Singapore. Empathy was operationalized by six cognitive and affective independent variables and multiple multivariate analyses are applied, such as multivariate analysis of variance, discriminant analysis and multiple regression analysis.

Findings

Results show that both students and staff alike evaluate empathy as important in the co-created service experience. The provision of individualized attention to students to positively influence student experience in learning was deemed important by both staff and students. Yet, there are also distinct differences. For students, it is essential that staff members have students’ best interests at heart; for staff members, knowledge of students’ needs and show of care and concern are important.

Practical implications

Students and staff perceive empathy in higher education service provision differently. Interestingly, whilst staff think caring for students is important, students feel that too much care and concern from staff has a negative effect on their experience. Hence, too much care and concern might cause potential issues with the students’ perception of “over-servicing” which might manifest as “spoon-feeding.” Instead, students are asking for individualized and professionalized attention to be taken seriously and to be involved in the co-creation of the education service experience.

Originality/value

This study advances the understanding of affective and cognitive aspects of empathy and their influence on students’ service experiences.
Expert officer perceptions of de-escalation in policing
Authors: Todak Natalie , White Michael D.
Published: May 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine perceptions of de-escalation among police officers who were nominated by peers as the most skilled at this strategy.

Design/methodology/approach

A peer nomination process identified eight skilled de-escalators in one department. Interviews were conducted with the officers individually. Additionally, in a focus group, the officers watched and debriefed body-worn camera videos for themes related to de-escalation.

Findings

Officers defined de-escalation as bringing calm to a conflict using the least amount of force possible. They said it could also be used preventatively. They identified de-escalation tactics, characteristics of skilled de-escalators and situations in which de-escalation is less effective.

Originality/value

This study initiates research into a much discussed but rarely researched topic. Future studies should continue to work toward a definition of de-escalation and understand how it can be used in policing to reduce violence, protect life and enhance police legitimacy.
International graduates and the change of initial career mobility intentions
Authors: Farivar Farveh , Coffey Jane , Cameron Roslyn
Published: May 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate which sociocultural and work conditions have the potential to change international graduates’ career mobility intentions and encourage international graduates to stay in the host country when the initial intention was to leave the host country after graduating.

Design/methodology/approach

Data were collected via a web-based survey from international graduates and analyses suggest 129 (20 percent) of respondents changed their initial career mobility intentions. Data were analyzed using fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis.

Findings

Although previous studies report some pull–push factors such as attractive payment rates and work experience as being important in attracting potential workforce participants, these factors have no influence on changing the career mobility intentions of international graduates. In contrast, the work environment (WE) seems to be a strong condition for changing career mobility decisions. Results also reveal that the influence of sociocultural conditions on initial career mobility intention is more complicated than work conditions and varies from case to case.

Practical implications

The present study adopts the theoretical assumption that migration and mobility is a transition that forms over time and the findings suggest that international graduates’ global career mobility intentions depend on the WE. Therefore, government, higher education and industry development policy makers need to take this factor into account if they are interested in attracting and retaining global talent.

Originality/value

The majority of previous studies have focused on which push–pull factors encourage the recently graduated international student workforce to move or stay in a country while the current study argues which conditions have the potential to change initial career mobility intentions.
Long‐term shifts in the seasonal abundance of adult Culicoides biting midges and their impact on potential arbovirus outbreaks
Authors: Sanders Christopher J. , Shortall Chris R. , England Marion , Harrington Richard , Purse Beth , Burgin Laura , Carpenter Simon , Gubbins Simon
Published: May 2019

Surveillance of adult Culicoides biting midge flight activity is used as an applied ecological method to guide the management of arbovirus incursions on livestock production in Europe and Australia.

To date the impact of changes in the phenology of adult vector activity on arbovirus transmission has not been defined. We investigated this at two sites in the UK, identifying 150,000 Culicoides biting midges taken from 2867 collections over a nearly 40 year timescale.

Whilst we recorded no change in seasonal activity at one site, shifts in first adult appearance and last adult appearance increased the seasonal activity period of Culicoides species at the other site by 40 days over the time period.

Lengthening of the adult activity season was driven by an increase in abundance of Culicoides and correlated with local increases in temperature and precipitation. This diversity in responses poses significant challenges for predicting future transmission and overwintering risk.

Policy implications. Our analysis not only shows a dramatic and consistent increase in the adult active period of Culicoides biting midges, but also that this varies significantly between sites. This suggests broad‐scale analyses alone are insufficient to understand the potential impacts of changes in climate on arbovirus vector populations. Understanding the impact of climate change on adult Culicoides seasonality and transmission of arboviruses requires the context of changes in a range of other local ecological drivers.
Does an Audit Judgment Rule Increase or Decrease Auditors' Use of Innovative Audit Procedures?
Authors: Kang Yoon Ju , Piercey M. David , Trotman Andrew
Published: May 2019

The current audit environment encourages auditors to conduct defensive auditing procedures in lieu of using new, innovative, and potentially more effective audit procedures, due to concerns these procedures may be second‐guessed in litigation or by audit inspectors such as the PCAOB. As a result, auditors may prefer traditional “generally accepted” procedures over innovative procedures that are potentially more effective. We test recent proposals that an Audit Judgment Rule (AJR) encourages the use of innovative, and potentially more effective, audit procedures analogous to the similar Business Judgment Rule that affords legal protections to corporate directors. Under an AJR, litigators or audit inspectors could not second‐guess auditor judgments, even if they perceive that alternate judgments would have ordinarily been reached, provided the auditor's judgment was made in good faith and in a rigorous manner. However, the AJR's requirements that auditors must defend the rigor of their innovative judgments could potentially backfire and lead auditors to select more traditional procedures. Under the framework of goal activation theory, we conduct an experiment with audit managers and seniors and find that an AJR makes auditors less likely to select innovative audit procedures, particularly when audit risk is high. They do so despite believing the innovative procedures to be more effective than the traditional procedures. Findings from a supplementary experiment with experienced auditors further suggest that national office affirmation of the reasonableness of the procedures does not help overcome this effect. Overall, our findings suggest that an AJR may have the unintended consequence of further increasing auditors' focus on more traditional, and potentially less effective, audit procedures.
Obstetric and perinatal outcome of the women with repeated implantation failures or recurrent pregnancy losses who received pre‐ and post‐conception tacrolimus treatment
Authors: Nakagawa Koji , Kwak‐Kim Joanne , Hisano Michi , Kasahara Yoshimitsu , Kuroda Keiji , Sugiyama Rikikazu , Yamaguchi Koushi
Published: May 2019

Problem

Previously, we reported the clinical efficacy of tacrolimus in women with repeated implantation failures (RIF) of immune etiologies. Safety of tacrolimus in pregnant women has been reported in women with organ transplantations. However, the safety of tacrolimus for women with RIF undergoing assisted reproductive technology cycles and their babies has not been reported prior.

Method of study

This study is a prospective observational study of 109 women with RIF or recurrent pregnancy losses (RPL) who showed elevated peripheral blood Th1/Th2 (CD4+IFN‐γ+/CD4+IL‐4+) cell ratios (≥10.3). All received tacrolimus before and during pregnancy (1‐4 mg/d) and delivered a live‐born infant(s). Blood concentrations of tacrolimus were measured. Neuromotor development of the babies was also evaluated.

Results

Total 113 babies were born from 109 women, including four twin pregnancies. Nine pregnancies including four twins were delivered prematurely (8.3%). Two of 109 women showed obstetric complications, such as hypertensive disorder of pregnancy, and only one baby (0.9%) had a congenital abnormality. There were no differences in babies' birthweight, placental weight, and lymphocyte proportion (%) of the umbilical cord among the women with different tacrolimus dosing. Tacrolimus was detected in the maternal plasma, and its concentration did not significantly fluctuate during pregnancy while on daily administration regimen. Neuromotor development of the babies exposed to tacrolimus in utero was comparable with that of babies from the general population.

Conclusion

According to our data, tacrolimus treatment for women with RIF and RPL was not associated with obstetrical and perinatal complications. A large size study is needed to confirm this finding.
Using river color to predict Amazonian floodplain forest avifaunas in the world's largest blackwater river basin
Authors: Laranjeiras Thiago Orsi , Naka Luciano Nicolas , Cohn‐Haft Mario
Published: May 2019

Despite the importance of rivers in Amazonian biogeography, avian distribution patterns in river‐created habitats (i.e., floodplain forests) have been sparsely addressed. Here, we explore geographic variation in floodplain forest avifaunas, specifically regarding one of the most striking aspects of the Amazon: the diversity of river “colors” (i.e., types, based on the color of the water). We sampled the avifauna at 30 sites, located in 17 different rivers (nine black‐ and eight whitewater), in the Rio Negro basin, northwestern Brazil. Our sampling comprised ten 15‐min point‐counts per site, distributed every 500–1000 m along the river. We recorded a total of 352 bird species, many of which occurred in both river types. Although bird species richness was similar among rivers, we found significant differences in species composition. Nearly 14 percent of the species were significantly associated with one or the other river type. Most floodplain forest specialists occurred predominantly in whitewater rivers, whereas species that are typically associated with white‐sand habitats occurred in blackwater. Despite significant distinctions between river types, occurrence patterns and levels of habitat association differed among indicator species and may vary in the same species throughout its global distribution. There were also “intermediate” avifauna in some of our sites, suggesting that continuous parameters characterizing river types structure species turnover. The water color‐based classification of Amazonian rivers represents a simple and powerful predictor of the floodplain forest avifauna, offering a stimulating starting point for understanding patterns of floodplain bird distributions and for prioritizing conservation efforts in these overlooked habitats.

Abstract in Portuguese is available with online material.
NDVI is not reliable as a surrogate of forage abundance for a large herbivore in tropical forest habitat
Authors: Gautam Hansraj , Arulmalar Evangeline , Kulkarni Mihir R. , Vidya T. N. C.
Published: May 2019

Remotely sensed vegetation indices are increasingly being used in wildlife studies but field‐based support for their utility as a measure of forage availability comes largely from open‐canopy habitats. We assessed whether normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) represents forage availability for Asian elephants in a southern Indian tropical forest. We found that the number of food species was a small percentage of all plant species.NDVIwas not a good measure of food abundance in any vegetation category partly because of (a) small to moderate proportional abundances of food species relative to the total abundance of all species in that category (herbs and shrubs), (b) abundant overstory vegetation resulting in low correlations betweenNDVIand food abundance, despite a high proportional abundance of food species and a concordance between total abundance and food species abundance (graminoids), and (c) the relevant variables measured and important as food at the ground level (count andGBH) not being related to primary productivity (trees and recruits).NDVIhad a negative relationship with the total abundance of graminoids, which represent a bulk of elephant and other herbivore diet, because of negative interaction with other vegetation and canopy cover that positively explainedNDVI. Spatially interpolated total graminoid abundance modeled from field data outperformedNDVIin predicting total graminoid abundance, although interpolation models of food graminoid abundance were not satisfactory. Our results reject the utility ofNDVIin mapping elephant forage abundance in tropical forests, a finding that has implications for studies of other herbivores also.

Abstract in Kannada is available with online material.
Overview of procalcitonin in pregnancy and in pre-eclampsia
Authors: Mangogna A , Agostinis C , Ricci G , Romano F , Bulla R
Published: May 2019

Procalcitonin (PCT), a precursor for calcitonin, is a prohormone involved in the inflammatory processes, which has been poorly studied in the context of pregnancy. During severe inflammation, PCT derives from almost all cell types, including monocytes and parenchymal tissues, making it a good predictive and diagnostic marker of an inflammatory state with rapidly increased serum levels in inflammation or sepsis. In normal pregnancy, PCT is basally expressed at very low level by decidual cells, even if decidual macrophages, which in normal pregnancy are skewed to M2 macrophages, are resistant to lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced production of PCT. As PCT increase is associated with an inflammatory state, several research groups investigated whether PCT can be considered a marker of pre-eclampsia, a pregnancy disease characterized by systemic inflammation. The first aim of this review is to summarize what is already known about the tissues synthesizing PCT, about the stimuli that cause the increase of circulating PCT levels and how PCT acts as a proinflammatory stimulus by itself. Secondly, we will describe the role of this prohormone in normal pregnancy and in pregnancies complicated by pre-eclampsia, highlighting the involvement of the decidual macrophages and the proinflammatory cytokine tumor necrosis factor-α in the modulation of PCT expression in the decidual microenvironment.
Graph‐Based Transfer Function for Volume Rendering
Authors: Sharma O. , Arora T. , Khattar A.
Published: May 2019

A good transfer function in volume rendering requires careful consideration of the materials present in a volume. A manual creation is tedious and prone to errors. Furthermore, the user interaction to design a higher dimensional transfer function gets complicated. In this work, we present a graph‐based approach to design a transfer function that takes volumetric structures into account. Our novel contribution is in proposing an algorithm for robust deduction of a material graph from a set of disconnected edges. We incorporate stable graph creation under varying noise levels in the volume. We show that the deduced material graph can be used to automatically create a transfer function using the occlusion spectrum of the input volume. Since we compute material topology of the objects, an enhanced rendering is possible with our method. This also allows us to selectively render objects and depict adjacent materials in a volume. Our method considerably reduces manual effort required in designing a transfer function and provides an easy interface for interaction with the volume.
What does sodium‐glucose co‐transporter 1 inhibition add: Prospects for dual inhibition
Authors: Dominguez Rieg Jessica A. , Rieg Timo
Published: May 2019

Epithelial glucose transport is accomplished by Na+‐glucose co‐transporters, SGLT1 and SGLT2. In the intestine, uptake of dietary glucose is for its majority mediated by SGLT1, and humans with mutations in the SGLT1 gene show glucose/galactose malabsorption. In the kidney, both transporters, SGLT1 and SGLT2, are expressed and recent studies identified that SGLT2 mediates up to 97% of glucose reabsorption. Humans with mutations in the SGLT2 gene show familial renal glucosuria. In the last three decades, significant progress was made in understanding the physiology of these transporters and their potential as therapeutic targets. Based on the structure of phlorizin, a natural compound acting as a SGLT1/2 inhibitor, initially several SGLT2, and later SGLT1 and dual SGLT1/2 inhibitors have been developed. Interestingly, SGLT2 knockout or treatment with SGLT2 selective inhibitors only causes a fractional glucose excretion in the magnitude of ∼60%, an effect mediated by up‐regulation of renal SGLT1. Based on these findings the hypothesis was brought forward that dual SGLT1/2 inhibition might further improve glycaemic control via targeting two distinct organs that express SGLT1: the intestine and the kidney. Of note, SGLT1/2 double knockout mice completely lack renal glucose reabsorption. This review will address the rationale for the development of SGLT1 and dual SGLT1/2 inhibitors and potential benefits compared to sole SGLT2 inhibition.
Assessing the Transport of Pharmaceutical Compounds in a Layered Aquifer Discharging to a Stream
Authors: Balbarini Nicola , Frederiksen Majken , Rønde Vinni , Møller Ingelise , Sonne Anne T. , McKnight Ursula S. , Pedersen Jørn K. , Binning Philip J. , Bjerg Poul L.
Published: May 2019

A groundwater plume containing high concentrations of pharmaceutical compounds, mainly sulfonamides, barbiturates, and ethyl urethane, in addition to chlorinated ethenes and benzene was investigated. The contamination originating from a former pharmaceutical industry discharges into a multilayered aquifer system and a downgradient stream. In this study, geological and hydrogeological data were integrated into a numerical flow model to examine identified trends using statistical approaches, including principal component analysis and hierarchal cluster analysis. A joint interpretation of the groundwater flow paths and contaminant concentrations in the different compartments (i.e., groundwater and hyporheic zone) provided insight on the transport processes of the different contaminant plumes to the stream. The analysis of historical groundwater concentrations of pharmaceutical compounds at the site suggested these compounds are slowly degrading. The pharmaceutical compounds migrate in both a deep semiconfined aquifer, as well as in the shallow unconfined aquifer, and enter the stream along a 2‐km stretch. This contrasted with the chlorinated ethenes, which mainly discharge to the stream as a focused plume from the unconfined aquifer. The integrated approach developed here, combining groundwater flow modeling and statistical analyses of the contaminant concentration data collected in groundwater and the hyporheic zone, lead to an improved understanding of the observed distribution of contaminants in the unconfined and semiconfined aquifers, and thus to their discharge to the stream. This approach is particularly relevant for large and long‐lasting contaminant sources and plumes, such as abandoned landfills and industrial production sites, where field investigations may be very expensive.
Comparison of perioperative complications and health‐related quality of life between robot‐assisted and open radical cystectomy: A systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: Kimura Shoji , Iwata Takehiro , Foerster Beat , Fossati Nicola , Briganti Alberto , Nasu Yasutomo , Egawa Shin , Abufaraj Mohammad , Shariat Shahrokh F
Published: May 2019

To compare postoperative complications and health‐related quality of life of patients undergoing robot‐assisted radical cystectomy with those of patients undergoing open radical cystectomy. A systematic search was carried out according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta‐Analyses statement. A pooled meta‐analysis was carried out to assess the differences between robot‐assisted radical cystectomy and open radical cystectomy according to randomized and non‐randomized comparative studies, respectively. We identified six randomized comparative studies and 31 non‐randomized comparative studies. Most robot‐assisted radical cystectomy patients were treated with extracorporeal urinary diversion. Robot‐assisted radical cystectomy was associated with longer operative times, and lower blood loss and transfusion rates compared with open radical cystectomy in both randomized comparative studies and non‐randomized comparative studies. There was no significant difference between robot‐assisted radical cystectomy and open radical cystectomy in the rate of patients with any or major complications within 90 days both in randomized comparative studies and non‐randomized comparative studies. Non‐randomized comparative studies reported a lower rate of complications at 30 days, mortality at 90 days and length of stay for patients treated with robot‐assisted radical cystectomy, which were not confirmed in randomized comparative studies. Additionally, there were no differences in postoperative quality of life score assessment at 3 and 6 months between robot‐assisted radical cystectomy and open radical cystectomy. Robot‐assisted radical cystectomy is associated with less blood loss and lower transfusion rates. There is no difference in complications, length of stay, mortality, and quality of life between robot‐assisted radical cystectomy and open radical cystectomy. Data from non‐randomized comparative studies favor perioperative outcomes in robot‐assisted radical cystectomy patients, the failure to confirm in randomized comparative studies, likely due to bias in study design and reporting. Further randomized comparative studies comparing postoperative complications and quality of life between robot‐assisted radical cystectomy with intracorporeal urinary diversion and open radical cystectomy are required to assess potential differences between these two surgical approaches.
Evaluation of screening practices for low bone mass and prevalence of osteoporosis and fractures in people living with human immunodeficiency virus attending a sexual health clinic
Authors: Davidson Natalie , Sowden David
Published: May 2019

Background

Adults with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection commonly experience fractures and have a high prevalence of osteoporosis. The reasons for low bone mineral density (BMD) in HIV patients are multifactorial and there are now guidelines for screening.

Aims

The aims of this study were to determine the screening practices for osteoporosis at this sexual health clinic, the prevalence of osteoporosis and to examine the risk factors for bone disease.

Methods

We performed a retrospective cohort study of all HIV patients attending the Sunshine Coast Health Service District Sexual Health Clinic. Through chart review we collected the following details: patient demographics, co‐morbid conditions, HIV status and anti‐retroviral therapy, BMD screening, fractures, screening for secondary causes of bone disease and treatment interventions for osteoporosis.

Results

A total of 243 patients with HIV attended the sexual health clinic. Of these, 149 met screening criteria for BMD assessment and 93 (61%) of those eligible underwent BMD examination. In those who had a BMD performed, 13 (19%) had sustained a previous fracture, 28 (30%) had osteoporosis and 42 (45%) had osteopenia. In the osteoporosis group, 21 (78%) were treated with vitamin D and calcium, 7 (26%) had a change in ART, 19 (68%) were treated with anti‐resorptive therapy and 9 received testosterone replacement.

Conclusions

In this cohort, there was a high prevalence of low bone mass and BMD screening rates of 60%. Our results highlight the importance of this condition and the need to improve screening and availability of BMD assessment.
Circumplex Model of Marital and Family Systems: An Update
Authors: Olson David H. , Waldvogel Laura , Schlieff Molly
Published: May 2019

This article provides an overview of the Circumplex Model and how it was developed and describes the three major dimensions (cohesion, flexibility, and communication) and how they were used to create the model. There are three major hypotheses and two assessments (FACES IV and the Clinical Rating Scale) used to test the hypotheses. The model is useful for describing couple and family systems and for plotting how they change over time. The model is also used to describe other systems such as parenting and classroom settings. Personal use of the model is described and future directions and challenges for the model presented.
Coordinated‐Transitional Care for Veterans with Heart Failure and Chronic Lung Disease
Authors: Reese Robyn L. , Clement Sherry A. , Syeda Sohera , Hawley Chelsea E. , Gosian Jeffrey S. , Cai Shubing , Jensen Laury L. , Kind Amy J.H. , Driver Jane A.
Published: May 2019

OBJECTIVES

Patients with congestive heart failure (CHF) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) account for most 30‐day hospital readmissions nationwide. The Coordinated‐Transitional Care (C‐TraC) program is a telephone‐based, nurse‐driven intervention shown to decrease readmissions in Veterans Affairs (VA) and non‐VA hospitals. The goal of this project was to assess the feasibility and efficacy of adapting C‐TraC to meet the needs of complex patients with CHF and COPD in a large urban tertiary care VA medical center.

DESIGN

We used the Replicating Effective Programs model to guide the implementation. The C‐TraC nurse received intensive training in cardiology and pulmonology and worked closely with both inpatient and outpatient providers to coordinate care. Eligible patients were admitted with CHF or COPD and had at least one additional risk for readmission.

SETTING

The nurse met patients in the hospital, participated in their discharge planning, and then provided intensive case management for up to 4 weeks.

PARTICIPANTS

Over its initial 14 months, the program successfully enrolled 299 veterans with good fidelity to the protocol.

MEASUREMENTS

A total of 43 (15.8%) C‐TraC participants were rehospitalized within 30 days compared with 172 (21.0%) of historical controls matched 3:1 on age, risk of 90‐day hospital admission, and discharge diagnosis.

RESULTS

Participants were 54% less likely to be rehospitalized (odds ratio = .46; 95% CI = .24‐.89).

CONCLUSION

The program was financially sustainable. The total cost of care in the 30‐day postdischarge period was $1842.52 less per C‐TraC patient than per controls, leading the medical center to sustain and expand the program.
Developing a Universal Nursing Competencies Framework for Registered Nurses: A Mixed‐Methods Approach
Authors: Ličen Sabina , Plazar Nadja
Published: May 2019

Purpose

To develop a methodology for identifying the universal nursing competencies required for registered nurses (RNs).

Design

A mixed‐methods approach was used.

Methods

The research in this article entails a combination of different methodological approaches, namely the Delphi technique and an empirical quantitative nonexperimental study. A total of 14 experts with credentials in the nursing field participated in the former. Consensus was defined as at least 80% agreement. Subsequently, a purposive sample of 321RNs participated in the empirical quantitative nonexperimental study. The data were collected during 2014.

Findings

In the study's first stage, 39 professional nursing competencies were identified using the Delphi technique. In the second stage, factor analysis resulted in seven factors: professional nursing clinical practice; professional communication and quality in nursing; determinants of health and safety in nursing; critical thinking and self‐planning of professional work; new knowledge and knowledge transfer in nursing; management and coordination in nursing; and nursing research. Together they explain 74.9% of the variance.

Conclusions and Clinical Relevance

In the future, the identification of the national nursing competencies should be considered. The study has some limitations; however, the proposed methodology revealed in this study may be the first step in overcoming them.
The Circadian Syndrome: is the Metabolic Syndrome and much more!
Authors: Zimmet P. , Alberti K. G. M. M. , Stern N. , Bilu C. , El‐Osta A. , Einat H. , Kronfeld‐Schor N.
Published: May 2019

The Metabolic Syndrome is a cluster of cardio‐metabolic risk factors and comorbidities conveying high risk of both cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes. It is responsible for huge socio‐economic costs with its resulting morbidity and mortality in most countries. The underlying aetiology of this clustering has been the subject of much debate. More recently, significant interest has focussed on the involvement of the circadian system, a major regulator of almost every aspect of human health and metabolism. The Circadian Syndrome has now been implicated in several chronic diseases including type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. There is now increasing evidence connecting disturbances in circadian rhythm with not only the key components of the Metabolic Syndrome but also its main comorbidities including sleep disturbances, depression, steatohepatitis and cognitive dysfunction. Based on this, we now propose that circadian disruption may be an important underlying aetiological factor for the Metabolic Syndrome and we suggest that it be renamed the ‘Circadian Syndrome’. With the increased recognition of the ‘Circadian Syndrome’, circadian medicine, through the timing of exercise, light exposure, food consumption, dispensing of medications and sleep, is likely to play a much greater role in the maintenance of both individual and population health in the future.
“Particles‐to‐People…Molecules‐to‐Man”: Creationist Poetics in Public Debates
Authors: Bielo James S.
Published: May 2019

This article examines religious language in a contested public sphere by analyzing performances of linguistic creativity among creationists in the United States. The public creation‐evolution debate has been a central speech event in the development of modern creationism, and functions as a key site for claiming cultural legitimacy. Focusing on three creation‐evolution debates spanning 33 years, I advance the concept of “creationist poetics” to capture how framing, stance taking, and speech play define the performance repertoire of creationists in the debate context. In particular, I illustrate how creationist speakers work to create a conspiracy‐populist frame and a revealer stance. Together, these strategies sketch a lifeworld that envisions elitist “secular” actors suppressing scriptural authority and creationists as humble, clear‐eyed people exposing the conspiracy through scriptural fidelity. I argue that this system of poetics is a key expressive resource in the ongoing struggle to wrest authority away from evolutionary science and claim it for biblical fundamentalism. Ultimately, this analysis of creationist poetics informs our understanding of how authority as a contingent social process is discursively mediated, a central theme in the study of both religious and political language.
The effect of tongue thrusting on tongue pressure production during swallowing in adult anterior open bite cases
Authors: Kurihara Kanako , Fukui Tadao , Sakaue Kei , Hori Kazuhiro , Ono Takahiro , Saito Isao
Published: May 2019

Background

Tongue thrusting, which often occurs during swallowing in patients with anterior open bite, is considered to show different tongue dynamics from healthy individuals, but the details are still unclear.

Objective

This study aimed to identify the effect of tongue thrusting on tongue pressure production during swallowing in patients with anterior open bite.

Methods

The subjects were 11 patients with an anterior open bite and 8 healthy volunteers with individual normal occlusion. The patients were divided into a tongue‐thrusting group (n = 8) and a non‐thrusting group (n = 3). Tongue pressures while swallowing jelly (4 mL) were recorded by a sensor sheet system with five measuring points (Chs1‐5) attached to the palatal mucosa. The time sequences, maximum magnitude and duration of tongue pressure, and swallowing time of tongue pressure were analysed.

Results

Tongue pressure waveforms in the tongue‐thrusting group were quite diverse compared with the other two groups. The duration at the posterior‐median part in the tongue‐thrusting group was significantly shorter, and the maximum magnitudes at the mid‐median, posterior‐median and the peripheral part were also significantly lower than in the healthy group. These results suggest that the compensatory tongue thrust action by which the tongue closes the front part of the oral cavity may make it difficult to lift the tongue and transfer the bolus.

Conclusion

Patients with an anterior open bite and tongue thrusting at swallowing showed diversity of tongue pressure waveforms and noticeably weaker tongue pressures from mid‐median to posterior‐median regions than healthy individuals.
Long‐term use of non‐steroidal anti‐inflammatory drugs in cats with chronic kidney disease: from controversy to optimism
Authors: Monteiro B. , Steagall P. V. M. , Lascelles B. D. X. , Robertson S. , Murrell J. C. , Kronen P. W. , Wright B. , Yamashita** K.
Published: May 2019

This is the first of a series of capsule reviews published by the World Small Animal Veterinary Association ‐ Global Pain Council (WSAVA‐GPC). Each of these short articles provides a brisk assessment of the scientific evidence in specific aspects of pain management, including analgesic techniques, recommendations and controversies surrounding their use. In this first capsule review, the scientific evidence available on the long‐term use of non‐steroidal anti‐inflammatory drugs in cats with concomitant chronic pain and chronic kidney disease is discussed.
Application of multi‐element viscoelastic models to freshness evaluation of beef based on the viscoelasticity principle
Authors: Li Yanlei , Xu Yang , Dong Jun , Yang Kefei , Zhang Beibei , Tang Xiuying
Published: May 2019

The aims of this work were to develop multi‐element viscoelastic models for beef and apply them to detect total volatile basic nitrogen (TVB‐N) content for freshness evaluation. The deformation data were collected by a viscoelasticity detection system that employed the airflow and laser technique. Then, TVB‐N contents were measured to determine the freshness of samples during storage. A universal global optimization (UGO) algorithm was applied to fit the deformation data. Various multi‐element viscoelastic models including the Burgers, six‐element and eight‐element models were built using the obtained fitting parameters, and different viscoelastic parameters representing the degree of beef spoilage were obtained. All the viscoelastic parameters of each multi‐element model and parameter combinations of the selected six‐element model were employed to build mathematical models for predicting TVB‐N content by support vector machine regression (SVR). In comparison, the six‐element model with all the viscoelastic parameters performed the best and was determined to predict TVB‐N content with correlation coefficient in the prediction set (RP) of 0.891 and root mean squared error in the prediction set (RMSEP) of 1.467 mg/100 g. Based on the results of parameter combinations, combination (E2, E3, E1, η1, η2) from the six‐element model performed the best, which was comparatively inferior to all the viscoelastic parameters of the six‐element model. Results demonstrated that it was possible to predict TVB‐N content for freshness evaluation by applying method of developing multi‐element model based on the viscoelasticity with chemometrics.
Parent‐reported ease of eating foods of different textures in young children with Down syndrome
Authors: Ross Carolyn F. , Bernhard Charles B. , Smith‐Simpson Sarah
Published: May 2019

Food texture has been identified as a significant contributor to feeding problems in children, particularly in children with Down syndrome (DS). This study examined the open‐ended survey responses of parents describing which food textures were “easy” or “difficult” for their child with DS. The open‐ended responses from the parents about textures and foods they considered “easy” or “difficult” for their child (n = 157) were coded into 26 texture categories. Chewy and firm were more frequently listed as “difficult” textures by parents. Textures found to be cited more frequently as “easy” textures included creamy, crispy/crunchy, dissolvable, mushy, puree, smooth, and soft. Age influenced the citation of specific textures. As age increased, crispy/crunchy, dry, and hard were more likely to be listed as “easy” while lumpy, mushy, and gooey/soggy/wet were less likely be listed as “easy.” For “difficult” textures, as age increased, juicy was more likely to be listed as “difficult” while the textures of creamy, dry, lumpy, and tender were less likely to be “difficult.” While this research provides information as to the food textures children with DS find “easy” or “difficult,” further research is needed to better understand how to expand the variety of textures in the diets of children with DS.
Are calcium oxalate crystals a dynamic calcium store in plants?
Authors: Paiva Elder Antônio Sousa
Published: May 2019

Calcium oxalate (CaOx) crystals occur as intravacuolar deposits in most angiosperm species. Different functions have been attributed to these crystals, some of which are very speculative, until now. Calcium regulation and homeostasis seem to be the most widespread function of CaOx crystals. Being rich in calcium, these crystals constitute a reserve of calcium for plants. However, despite being bioavailable, this reserve is functional in just a few situations due to the low mobility of calcium for phloem translocation. Therefore, CaOx crystals as a calcium reserve is a paradox because in most cases the reserve cannot be used. However, in most plants, these crystals occur in organs or tissues that will be discarded, which allows the elimination of excess calcium. This suggests that CaOx crystals have a functional role in excess calcium excretion. There is some evidence that, for calcium, this excretory function is relevant for plants since they lack an excretory system dedicated to discarding solid wastes, such as calcium salts.
Utility of neonatal donors in pediatric liver transplantation: A single‐center experience
Authors: Gao Wei , Song Zhuolun , Ma Nan , Dong Chong , Sun Chao , Meng Xingchu , Zhang Wei , Wang Kai , Wu Bin , Li Shanni , Qin Hong , Han Chao , Li Haohao , Shen Zhongyang
Published: May 2019

Background

The lack of age‐ and size‐matched organs result in higher waiting list mortality in pediatric recipients than adults. Organs from deceased newborns and infants are a valuable source to increase donor pool in pediatric liver transplantation. However, the feasibility and safety of using neonatal donors have not been well evaluated.

Methods

From 2014 to 2016, 48 deceased donor pediatric liver transplantations with donor age younger than 1 year old in our center were enrolled in this study. The recipients were divided into three groups based on the donor age (<1 month, 1 month ≤ to <3 months, and 3 months ≤ to <1 year). Recipient's characteristics, perioperative data, and postoperative complications were compared.

Results

Two‐year patient survival rates were 87.5%, 94.4%, and 95.5%, and 2‐year graft survival rates were 75%, 94.4%, and 95.5%, respectively, without significant difference. The liver grafts from donors younger than 3 months were more advantageous in terms of acute rejection and virus infection, while the young grafts were related to slight higher incidence of hepatic artery thrombosis and SFSS. Those complications could be effectively prevented or treated by our perioperative care strategies. In addition, eight recipients who received neonatal livers achieved comparable outcomes with recipients with older livers.

Conclusion

Our data revealed that the application of liver grafts from donors younger than 1 year old could achieve excellent outcome. In particular, neonatal donors could be safely used in well‐selected patients.
Management and prevention of cytomegalovirus infection in paediatric hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) recipients: A binational survey
Authors: Al Yazidi Laila S. , Mitchell Richard , Palasanthiran Pamela , O’Brien Tracey A. , McMullan Brendan
Published: May 2019

CMV infection is an important cause of morbidity and mortality among HSCT recipients. Optimal strategies for prevention and management of CMV disease following haematopoietic stem cell transplantation remain uncertain. We conducted an online survey of Australasian paediatric allogeneic HSCT centres on management and prevention of CMV disease in this patient group. We asked for one response from a representative of the HSCT team and one from a representative of the ID team at each centre. All Australasian paediatric HSCT centres responded to our survey. Management of CMV in pre‐transplant setting was consistent between centres. All centres used a pre‐emptive strategy to prevent CMV disease, guided by quantitative CMV PCR. In the post‐transplant post engraftment setting, all centres recommended using ganciclovir (5mg/kg/dose twice daily) as a first‐line therapy for CMV reactivation or disease, with treatment duration of 14 days, provided declining CMV quantitative PCR. There was substantial variability of practice between centres in post‐transplant management of CMV reactivation, especially during the pre‐engraftment phase. Similarly, there was lack of uniformity in indication, dosing and duration of maintenance therapy. Divergence was noted between responses from HSCT and ID physicians within centres. This study identifies areas of uniformity and others of great variability in prevention and management strategies for CMV in paediatric HSCT. Data on CMV infection and management in HSCT patients should be routinely collected as part of prospective trials to inform guidelines and improve prevention and treatment of this important complication.
Pediatric liver transplantation for neonatal‐onset Niemann‐Pick disease type C: Japanese multicenter experience
Authors: Yamada Naoya , Inui Ayano , Sanada Yukihiro , Ihara Yoshiyuki , Urahashi Taizen , Fukuda Akinari , Sakamoto Seisuke , Kasahara Mureo , Yoshizawa Atsushi , Okamoto Shinya , Okajima Hideaki , Fujisawa Tomoo , Mizuta Koichi
Published: May 2019

Niemann‐Pick disease type C (NPC) is a rare autosomal recessive inherited disease characterized by lysosomal accumulation of free cholesterol in macrophages within multiple organs. Infantile‐onset NPC often presents with jaundice and hepatosplenomegaly from birth, but these symptoms usually improve during early childhood, and it rarely progresses to liver failure. We report three cases from different hospitals in Japan; the patients developed neonatal‐onset NPC, and liver transplantation (LT) was performed as a life‐saving procedure. LT was performed at 19 days, 59 days, and 4 months of age, respectively. The last patient was diagnosed with NPC before LT, while the first two patients were diagnosed with neonatal hemochromatosis at LT. In these two patients, the diagnosis of NPC was made more than a year after LT. Even though oral administration of miglustat was started soon after the diagnosis of NPC, all patients showed neurological regression and required artificial respiratory support. All patients survived more than one year after LT; however, one patient died due to tracheal hemorrhage at 4.5 years of age, and another one patient was suspected as recurrence of NPC in liver graft. In conclusion, while LT may be a temporary life‐saving measure in patients with neonatal‐onset NPC leading to liver failure, the outcome is poor especially due to neurological symptoms. A preoperative diagnosis is thus critical.