bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Seasonal changes in eastern hemlock (Tsuga canadensis) foliar chemistry
Authors: Kinahan Ian G. , Rigsby Chad M. , Savage Suzanne K. , Houseman Nick L. , Marsella Andrew S. , Oppong-Quaicoe Anita , DeBoef Brenton L. , Orians Colin M. , Preisser Evan L.
Published: April 2020

Eastern hemlock (Tsuga canadensis (L.) Carrière) is an eastern North American conifer threatened by the invasive hemlock woolly adelgid (Adelges tsugae Annand). Changes in foliar terpenes and phenolics were evaluated in new (current-year growth) and mature (1-year-old growth) hemlock needles during the growing season and into plant dormancy. From April through September, foliar concentrations of nonvolatile soluble phenolics, condensed tannins, lignin, mono- and sesquiterpenes, α-pinene, camphene, isobornyl acetate, and diterpene resin were quantified. After September, additional analyses of metabolites that continued to differ significantly between new and mature foliage were carried out. Total soluble phenolic and condensed tannin concentrations in new foliage remained low relative to those of mature foliage throughout the growing season and converged in December. Lignin concentration in new foliage converged with that of mature foliage by July. Concentrations of α-pinene, camphene, isobornyl acetate, and diterpene resin in new foliage converged with those of mature foliage within 1 month of budbreak. The convergence of terpene concentrations in new and mature foliage suggests that these metabolites may play a role in herbivore defense during the peak growing season. Conversely, soluble phenolics, including condensed tannins, may defend foliage from herbivory outside of the spring growth period.
Genetic and molecular features for hepadnavirus and plague infections in the Himalayan marmot
Authors: Liu Baoning , Bai Liang , Fu Yu , Zhao Sihai , Liu Haiqing , Wang Rong , Wang Weirong , Li Yandong , Tao Yuanqing , Wang Zhongdong , Fan Jianglin , Liu Enqi
Published: April 2020

The Himalayan marmot (Marmota himalayana), a natural host and transmitter of plague, is also susceptible to the hepadnavirus infection. To reveal the genetic basis of the hepadnavirus susceptibility and the immune response to plague, we systematically characterized the features of immune genes in Himalayan marmot with those of human and mouse. We found that the entire major histocompatibility complex region and the hepatitis B virus pathway genes of the Himalayan marmot were conserved with those of humans. A Trim (tripartite motif) gene cluster involved in immune response and antiviral activity displays dynamic evolution, which is reflected by the duplication of Trim5 and the absence of Trim22 and Trim34. Three key regions of Ntcp, which is critical for hepatitis B virus entry, had high identity among seven species of Marmota. Moreover, we observed a severe alveolar hemorrhage, inflammatory infiltrate in the infected lungs and livers from Himalayan marmots after infection of EV76, a live attenuated Yersinia pestis strain. Lots of immune genes were remarkably up-regulated, which several hub genes Il2rγ, Tra29, and Nlrp7 are placed at the center of the gene network. These findings suggest that Himalayan marmot is a potential animal model for study on the hepadnavirus and plague infection.
Magnoliae Flos Essential Oil as an Immunosuppressant in Dendritic Cell Activation and Contact Hypersensitivity Responses
Authors: Chen Chun-Hsien , Chen Hsin-Chun , Chang Wen-Te , Lee Meng-Shiou , Liu Yi-Chen , Lin Ming-Kuem
Published: April 2020

Magnoliae Flos is a commonly used traditional medicinal material in Asia. It is used to treat sinusitis, nasal congestion, and hypersensitive skin. Because Magonlia Flos was described as an aromatic material in ancient Chinese texts, we hypothesized that its essential oil may be used to treat immune disorders. Dendritic cells (DCs), regarded as a major target of immunomodulators to control immune responses, play a critical role in the adaptive immune response. In this study, Magnoliae Flos essential oil (MFEO) decreased the production of the cytokines TNF-[Formula: see text], IL-6, and IL-12p70 in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated DCs. It also suppressed the surface markers MHC II, CD80, and CD86 in LPS-stimulated DCs. Animal models demonstrated that the 2,4-Dinitro-1-fluorobenzene (DNFB) inducing a contact hypersensitivity response was inhibited following treatment with MFEO. In addition, MFEO inhibited the infiltration of T cells in the ears of DNFB-induced mice. To explore its bioactive compounds, the components of MFEO were analyzed using gas chromatography (GC) and GC-mass spectrometry. The results revealed that the major compounds in MFEO are camphor and 1,8-cineole. Additional DC bioassays confirmed that these compounds substantially suppressed cytokine production in LPS-induced DCs. Therefore, we demonstrated that MFEO exhibits an immunosuppressive effect both in vivo and in vitro, and camphor and 1,8-cineole may be the major components responsible for its immunosuppressive ability. The findings indicate that MFEO has the potential to be developed as a new immunosuppressant for excessive diseases.
Optical external efficiency of terahertz quantum cascade laser based on Čerenkov difference frequency generation
Authors: Hamadou A. , Thobel J.-L. , Lamari S.
Published: April 2020

In this paper, we consider terahertz sources based on Čerenkov difference frequency generation in a dual-wavelength mid-infrared quantum cascade laser and calculate analytically the optical external efficiency of the out-going terahertz wave. The mid-infrared pumps operate simultaneously and have a common upper level. For short cavity lengths and low terahertz losses in the substrate, we find that implementation of the Čerenkov emission scheme in terahertz difference frequency generation quantum cascade lasers improves the optical external efficiency dramatically. The maximum value of the latter is close to 19%, but is only attainable if the laser exhibits negligible mid-infrared transmission losses.
Effects of Fluorine Doping on Nickel-Rich Positive Electrode Materials for Lithium-Ion Batteries
Authors: Zhang Ning , Stark Jamie , Li Hongyang , Liu Aaron , Li Ying , Hamam Ines , Dahn J. R.
Published: April 2020

Three fluorine-doped lithium nickel oxide samples series (LiNiO2−xFx, LiNi1−xMgxO2−xFx; Li1+x/2Ni1−x/2O2−xFx) were prepared and investigated. It is suggested that fluorine was introduced into the lattice structure during the calcination. As fluorine is introduced into LiNiO2−xFx and LiNi1−xMgxO2−xFx the percentage of Ni (or Ni and Mg) in the Li layer increases for x > 0.05. However, adding excess Li in Li1+x/2Ni1−x/2O2−xFx sucessfully balances the charge differential introduced by fluorine doping therefore very little Ni2+ was created and the lithium layers remain “uncontaminated” by other metals. Data from Li/LiNiO2−xFx, Li/LiNi1−xMgxO2−xFx and Li/Li1+x/2Ni1−x/2O2−xFx cells mirror the percent of cation mixing as determined by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Rietveld refinement in each case. In situ XRD of Li1.1−xNi0.9O1.8F0.2 shows no multipule phase transitions which further suggests fluorine was successfully doped into the lattice. Acclelerating rate calorimetry (ARC) experiments show a potential safety advantage brought by fluorine doping. pH titration was used to explore if residual LiF (if any) at the surface converted to other lithium compounds (LiOH, Li2O or Li2CO3). No evidence of residual LiF was found.
Microbiota-neuroimmune cross talk in stress-induced visceral hypersensitivity of the bowel
Authors: van Thiel Isabelle A. M. , de Jonge Wouter J. , Chiu Isaac M. , van den Wijngaard Rene M.
Published: April 2020

Visceral hypersensitivity of the lower gastrointestinal tract, defined as an increased response to colorectal distension, frequently prompts episodes of debilitating abdominal pain in irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Although the pathophysiology of IBS is not yet fully elucidated, it is well known that stress is a major risk factor for development and acts as a trigger of pain sensation. Stress modulates both immune responses as well as the gut microbiota and vice versa. Additionally, either microbes themselves or through involvement of the immune system, activate or sensitize afferent nociceptors. In this paper, we review current knowledge on the influence of stress along the gut-brain-microbiota axis and exemplify relevant neuroimmune cross talk mechanisms in visceral hypersensitivity, working toward understanding how gut microbiota-neuroimmune cross talk contributes to visceral pain sensation in IBS patients.
Pre- and Postoperative Health Status of Patients with Nonfunctioning and Secretory Pituitary Adenomas and an Analysis of Related Factors
Authors: Zhang Yi , Guo Xiaopeng , Wang Lijun , Guo Jinzhu , Zhao Haiyan , Sun Shuang , Sun Yanxia , Xu Dongrui , Wang Zihao , Gao Lu , Feng Ming , Xing Bing
Published: April 2020

Purpose. To identify the characteristics of the physical and mental health status of patients with pituitary adenomas, explore the postoperative reversibility of impaired health status, and assess the impact of clinical characteristics, hormone levels, anxiety, depression, and disease stigma on health status. Methods. We prospectively enrolled 147 and 138 patients with nonfunctioning and secretory pituitary adenomas, respectively. Health status was evaluated in 8 domains using the 36-item Short-Form Health Survey before and 3 months after transsphenoidal surgery. The Self-Rating Anxiety Scale, the Self-Rating Depression Scale, and the Stigma Scale for Chronic Illness were used to assess the psychological status. Results. Compared with the healthy population reference values, general physical and mental health, social functioning, and role limitations due to physical and psychological health problems were all found to be significantly impaired in the adenoma patients. Health status was worse in patients with adrenocorticotropic hormone- (ACTH-) secreting and growth hormone- (GH-) secreting adenomas than in patients with nonfunctioning adenomas. Among the patients, 11.6% had anxiety and 30.9% had depression. Higher scores for anxiety, depression, and disease stigma; older age; higher body mass index; and tumor recurrence were independent risk factors for health status impairment in at least one domain. Physical function impairment and role limitations caused by physical health problems became worse after surgery, whereas the mental component of health status remained the same. Conclusion. Health status was impaired in patients with pituitary adenomas, especially secretory adenomas. Physical function and role limitations were worse 3 months after surgery than before surgery. Mental problems, old age, obesity, and tumor recurrence reduced health status.
A Case of Acute Motor Sensory Axonal Neuropathy: A Variant of Guillain-Barré Syndrome, with Possible Syndrome of Irreversible Lithium-Effectuated Neurotoxicity
Authors: Liu David Y. , Hollenbach Jessica R. , Gregorin Jason A. , Wynbrandt Jonathan H.
Published: April 2020

Acute Motor Sensory Axonal Neuropathy (AMSAN) is a rare and severe variant of Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) that has a prolonged recovery course. GBS is often suspected due to ascending muscle weakness, sensation difficulties, respiratory compromise, and antecedent diarrhea. The diagnosis of GBS is supported by cerebrospinal fluid analysis showing albuminocytologic dissociation. Electromyogram and nerve conduction study confirm the diagnosis and allow for further classification by variant. Treatment involves either IV immune globulins or plasmapheresis, and patients typically recover. However, depending on the variant and severity, patients may ultimately require prolonged mechanical ventilation with tracheostomy. In these cases, they may continue to have persistent muscle and sensation abnormalities requiring long-term care. We present a unique case of a 38-year-old female patient with decade-long use of lithium for bipolar disorder that presented with acute lithium toxicity. Though she was ultimately diagnosed with AMSAN, the Syndrome of Irreversible Lithium-Effectuated Neurotoxicity (SILENT) may have also contributed to her persistent neurological sequelae.
Patients’ Educational Program Could Improve Azathioprine Adherence in Crohn’s Disease Maintenance Therapy
Authors: Wang Lei , Fan Rong , Zhang Chen , Hong Liwen , Zhang Tianyu , Wang Zhengting , Zhong Jie
Published: April 2020

Aim. To determine the risk factors of nonadherence to azathioprine (AZA) maintenance therapy for Crohn’s disease (CD) and to evaluate the influence of patients’ educational program on adherence to AZA maintenance therapy. Methods. Patients receiving AZA as maintenance therapy for CD were enrolled. Demographic data, clinical data, and usage information were collected. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to identify the risk factors of nonadherence. Then, patients’ educational program was conducted. One year after the program, the improvements in adherence and relapse rates were compared between educational and noneducational groups. Results. A total of 378 CD patients receiving AZA as maintenance therapy were enrolled from September 2008 to September 2018. Nonadherence occurred in 43.9% (166/378) of patients. Univariate analysis revealed that young age, education, alcoholism, anxiety, depression, concern belief, and lack of necessity belief and AZA knowledge were risk factors of nonadherence (P<0.05). Multivariate logistic regression showed that anxiety (OR 6.244, 95% CI 2.563–15.213), depression (OR 3.801, 95% CI 1.281–11.278), and concern belief (OR 19.531, 95% CI 3.393–120.732) were independent risk factors of nonadherence. Necessity belief (OR 0.961, 95% CI 0.925–0.999) and AZA knowledge (OR 0.823, 95% CI 0.758–0.903) were protective factors of adherence. One year after the AZA educational program, the necessity belief, AZA knowledge, and adherence of the educational group significantly improved (P<0.05). Concern belief was significantly lower in the educational group than that in the noneducational group (P<0.05). Moreover, the noneducational group suffered significantly higher endoscopic relapse rates than that the educational group (15.9% vs. 30.1%, P=0.035). Conclusions. Nonadherence occurred frequently in CD patients receiving AZA maintenance therapy. Educational programs could improve patients’ adherence mainly by promoting their beliefs and knowledge of AZA and could reduce relapse rates during treatment.
Enhanced Characteristic Vibration Signal Detection of Generator Based on Time-Wavelet Energy Spectrum and Multipoint Optimal Minimum Entropy Deconvolution Adjusted Method
Authors: He Yu-Ling , Wang Tao , Sun Kai , Wang Xiao-Long , Peng Bo , Wan Shu-Ting
Published: April 2020

To overcome the shortage of low SNR (signal to noise ratio) of the multipole generator vibration signal which brings rigid difficulty to the fault diagnosis, a new method which combines the Time-Wavelet Energy Spectrum (TWES) with the Multipoint Optimal Minimum Entropy Deconvolution Adjusted (MOMEDA) algorithm is proposed. This method uses TWES to extract and enhance the characteristic signal, while employing MOMEDA to optimize the spectrum structure and filter the noise. The application of this method to the simulating signal as well as the test stator vibration signal in a 6-pole generator before and after rotor interturn short circuit fault validates the effectiveness of the method. Moreover, the comparison among the proposed method and some other general methods such as the Empirical Mode Decomposition (EMD) and the maximum correlative kurtosis deconvolution (MCKD) suggests that the proposed method is superior to these methods.
Determinants of Cesarean Section Deliveries in Public Hospitals of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 2018/19: A Case-Control Study
Authors: Gebreegziabher Hailu Areaya , Kebede Fanta Tsegaye , Tekulu Welay Fissaha , Etsay Assefa Natnael , Aregawi Hadera Surafel , Aregawi Gebremeskel Gebrekiros , Weldeslassie Gebremedhin Hagos , Asefa Guesh Gebreayezgi
Published: April 2020

Objective. The objective of this study was to assess the determinants of cesarean section deliveries in public hospitals of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 2019. Method. A hospital-based unmatched case-control study was conducted to study 780 (260 cases and 520 controls) women who delivered in public hospitals of Addis Ababa from August 22 to September 20, 2019. The cases were all mothers who delivered through caesarean section, and controls were all mothers who delivered vaginally in the same time in the study area. Data were collected from the randomly selected women and looking into their cards. Data were entered on EpiData 3.1 and exported to SPSS version 20 for cleaning and analyzing. Binary logistic regression and AOR with 95% CI were used to assess the determinants of caesarean section. Results. Majority of the study participants were in the age category 20–34 years. Nearly more than 1/3rd of the participants (32.7% cases and 34.6% controls) have attended primary school. Most of the cases 217 (83.5%) and few of the controls 21 (4%) possess previous caesarean section. One hundred three (52.3%) of the cases and 329 (63.6%) controls were multi-parous. Previous caesarean delivery (AOR = 6.93, 95% CI; (3.39, 14.16)), singleton pregnancy (AOR = 0.34, 95% CI; (0.12, 0.83)), birth weight less than 2500 gm (AOR = 0.29, 95% CI; (0.18, 0.92)), birth weight greater than 4000 gm (AOR = 16.15 (8.22, 31.74)), completely documented partograph (AOR = 0.13, 95% CI; (0.078, 0.23)), and pregnancy-induced hypertension (AOR = 2.44, 95% CI; (1.46, 4.08)) were significant determinants of caesarean delivery in this study. Conclusion. Previous caesarean section, number of delivery, birth weight, partograph documentation, and pregnancy-induced hypertension had significant association with caesarean section delivery in this study.
The EZH2–PHACTR2–AS1–Ribosome Axis induces Genomic Instability and Promotes Growth and Metastasis in Breast Cancer
Authors: Chu Wenhui , Zhang Xi , Qi Lihua , Fu Yenan , Wang Peng , Zhao Wei , Du Juan , Zhang Jing , Zhan Jun , Wang Yunling , Zhu Wei-Guo , Yu Yu , Zhang Hongquan
Published: April 2020

Aberrant activation of histone methyltransferase EZH2 and ribosome synthesis strongly associate with cancer development and progression. We previously found that EZH2 regulates RNA polymerase III–transcribed 5S ribosomal RNA gene transcription. However, whether EZH2 regulates ribosome synthesis is still unknown. Here, we report that EZH2 promotes ribosome synthesis by targeting and silencing a long noncoding RNA PHACTR2-AS1. PHACTR2-AS1 directly bound ribosome DNA genes and recruited histone methyltransferase SUV39H1, which in turn triggered H3K9 methylation of these genes. Depletion of PHACTR2-AS1 resulted in hyperactivation of ribosome synthesis and instability of ribosomal DNA, which promoted cancer cell proliferation and metastasis. Administration of PHACTR2-AS1-30nt-RNA, which binds to SUV39H1, effectively inhibited breast cancer growth and lung metastasis in mice. PHACTR2-AS1 was downregulated in breast cancer patients, where lower PHACTR2-AS1 expression promoted breast cancer development and correlated with poor patient outcome. Taken together, we demonstrate that PHACTR2-AS1 maintains a H3K9 methylation-marked silent state of ribosomal DNA genes, comprising a regulatory axis that controls breast cancer growth and metastasis.

Significance:

These findings reveal that EZH2 mediates ribosomal DNA stability via silencing of PHACTR2-AS1, representing a potential therapeutic target to control breast cancer growth and metastasis.
Landscape of Dysregulated Placental RNA Editing Associated With Preeclampsia
Authors: Yang Xiaoxue , Yang Jing , Liang Xiaozhen , Chen Qian , Jiang Sijia , Liu Haihua , Gao Yue , Ren Zhonglu , Shi Yi-Wu , Li Sheng , Yu Yanhong , Zhong Mei , Yang Xinping
Published: April 2020

Dysregulated RNA editing is well documented in several diseases, such as cancer and neurodegenerative diseases. The extent to which RNA editing might be involved in diseases originated in the placenta remains unknown. Here, we have systematically profiled RNA editome on the placentae, 9 from patients with early-onset severe preeclampsia (EOSPE) and 32 from normal subjects, and a widespread RNA editing dysregulation in EOSPE has been identified. The mis-edited gene set is enriched with known preeclampsia-associated genes and differentially expressed genes in EOSPE. The RNA editing events at 2 microRNA binding sites in 3′-untranslated region of the
LEP
mRNA were generated, which could inhibit the microRNA-induced mRNA downregulation of
LEP
in placenta-derived cell line, consistent with the observation in the placentae of preeclampsia patients. These results demonstrate the association of dysregulated placental RNA editing with preeclampsia, and providing a resource for further study on the role of RNA editing in the pathogenesis of this disease.
The South African genus Lepthercus Purcell, 1902 (Araneae: Mygalomorphae): phylogeny and taxonomy
Authors: RÍOS-TAMAYO DUNIESKY , LYLE ROBIN
Published: April 2020

After more than a century, the genus Lepthercus Purcell, 1902 is revised. Lepthercus dregei Purcell, 1902 and L. rattrayi Hewitt, 1917 are redescribed; with the female of L. dregei described for the first time. Nine new species of Lepthercus are described. A phylogenetic analysis with morphological characters using implied weights and parsimony as optimality criteria, suggests the separation of the genus in two clades. The first clade is formed by L. dippenaarae sp. nov., L. engelbrechti sp. nov., L. haddadi sp. nov., L. rattrayi Hewitt, 1917 and L. sofiae sp. nov., here denominated “Group haddadi”. The species L. confusus sp. nov., Lepthercus dregei Purcell, 1902, Lepthercus filmeri sp. nov., Lepthercus kwazuluensis sp. nov., Lepthercus lawrencei sp. nov. and Lepthercus mandelai sp. nov., form the second clade, here denominated “Group dregei”. The “Group haddadi” is characterized by males with a curved metatarsus I, and a swollen tibia I. The “Group dregei” is supported by the presence of small maxillary cuspules in males. A new diagnosis is provided for Lepthercus as well as an identification key for all species of the genus. New distribution maps for the genus in the country are also presented.
China’s College Expansion and the Timing of the College-to-Work Transition: A Natural Experiment
Authors: Hao Lingxin , Zhang Dong
Published: April 2020

This article examines the effect of China’s 1999 acceleration of higher education expansion on when college graduates find their first skilled job. We use a natural experiment to test our hypotheses and exploit the unique education and work history data of a nationally representative survey, as well as estimate a causal inference model. We find that the 1999 education expansion caused a delay in the landing of a skilled job among graduates from technical colleges, while graduates from four-year colleges were not affected in job acquisition. We also find that family origins and individual social positions are significant determinants of who entered college both before and after the education expansion. These findings shed new light on the workings of early adulthood and on social inequality in China.
China’s Youth in NEET (Not in Education, Employment, or Training): Evidence from a National Survey
Authors: Yang Yi
Published: April 2020

This study aims to understand the prevalence and characteristics of individuals aged 16 to 35 who are not in education, employment, or training (NEET) and the risk factors associated with being in NEET in China. The analysis uses the 2012 China Labor-Force Dynamics Survey to show that the NEET rate was 8 percent during the study period. Multilevel logistic regression indicates that women were more likely to be in NEET. Married women and female migrants had significantly higher risks of being in NEET, with migration having opposite effects for men and women. Education had protective effects against being in NEET, especially for women. Age had a nonlinear effect, with individuals aged 22 to 25 at the highest risk of being in NEET. I discuss implications for public policy and directions for future studies on NEET in China.
Does Early Career Unemployment at the Peak of a Recession Leave Economic Scars? Evidence from Estonia
Authors: Unt Marge , Täht Kadri
Published: April 2020

On average, individuals who have experienced unemployment are disadvantaged in terms of later lifetime earnings. Those who graduated from school during the Great Recession are especially prone to have experienced bouts of unemployment, but we know little about how much they suffer in later career earnings. Estonia was heavily hit by the economic crisis but recovered relatively quickly. This study explores poverty and earnings effects for a cohort of recession graduates in Estonia, finding that early career unemployment is not a direct trigger for poverty risk and income loss five years later. The main mechanism for disadvantage among recession graduates is recurring unemployment, meaning that the scars of initial unemployment are avoided only if graduates succeed in avoiding unemployment later. Findings also indicate that during an economic downturn, employers may not regard unemployment as a signal of lower productivity or depreciation of skills.
Labor Market Uncertainties for Youth and Young Adults: An International Perspective
Authors: Yeung Wei-Jun Jean , Yang Yi
Published: April 2020

A crisis for youth labor market conditions has been building globally for more than two decades, reflected in the persistently high rates of youth unemployment around the world, which is about three times as high as that for adults. About one in five young people are not in education, employment, or training, and a large share of young adults are working in the informal economy or in precarious conditions. This volume includes a collection of thirteen articles that examine the causes, patterns, and consequences of labor market uncertainties for youth and young adults in Europe, Latin/South America, the United States, and Asia, as well as a concluding article. They reveal vast inequalities among young people, with those having the least education and lowest skills, females, those with low family socioeconomic status (SES), ethnic minorities, and migrants being the most vulnerable. In this introduction, we describe the global trends and regional variation in labor market conditions for young people, explicate the importance of integrating young people into labor markets, and summarize the findings and policy implications of these articles.
Depression, trauma and mentalizing: No influence of depressive symptoms on spontaneous theory of mind in a subclinical sample
Authors: Hudson Anna R , Orlemann Corinne , Van Tricht Tine , Brass Marcel , Mueller Sven C
Published: April 2020

Background:

Depressive symptoms are associated with impaired social functioning, arguably because of reduced mentalizing abilities. However, findings in persons with depressive symptoms and/or major depressive disorder (MDD) are presently mixed, finding evidence both for and against the hypothesis of reduced mentalizing abilities.

Aims:

This study investigated spontaneous cognitive mentalizing in 36 age-, sex- and education-matched students with depressive symptoms and 45 comparisons with minimal depressive symptoms.

Method:

To assess spontaneous mentalizing, we used the implicit theory of mind (ToM) task, which looks specifically at spontaneous computation of false belief.

Results:

Bayesian analysis did not support the hypothesis of impaired mentalizing; in fact, it suggested that the results were 3.90 times more likely to have occurred under the null hypothesis. Results remained stable when comparing depressed and non-depressed individuals without maltreatment exposure but were inconclusive in the maltreatment-exposed groups.

Conclusion:

The findings suggest no effect of spontaneous mentalizing in a high-functioning depressed sample. Moreover, the findings also emphasize the need to control for childhood maltreatment experiences in future ToM and social functioning research, as these may constitute subgroups within depressed samples. Tailored therapy for maltreated depression individuals may be beneficial.
Reflections on the Linacre Quarterly Issue on Brain Death
Authors: White William G.
Published: April 2020

There remain serious doubts that “brain death,” or death determined by neurological criteria, is equivalent to true death of the human person. This informal essay offers several distinctions that may help clarify doubts about this issue.
Heeding the Call from McCullough: Is Religion Related to Retrospective Trends in Forgiveness Over Time?
Authors: Choe Elise , Davis Don E.
Published: April 2020

This study explores the use of a new retrospective method of forgiveness to study forgiveness trends in religious individuals. This article tries to establish an initial “proof of concept” for this new method. Also, the growth trends in emotional forgiveness and how decisional forgiveness as well as religious commitment affect these patterns are explored. Participants ( N=238) were recruited at a university setting answered questions about a specific offense. They then recalled their level of forgiveness of the same offense at various time points, including immediately after the offense and the present, as well as their level of decisional forgiveness and religious commitment. Decisional forgiveness predicted both initial levels of forgiveness and changes in forgiveness over time. Religious commitment did not predict either initial levels of forgiveness or change in forgiveness. The implications of these findings, as well as the initial “proof of concept,” are discussed. The possible benefits of using this new retrospective method in place of traditional longitudinal methods are also discussed. Limitations with the validity of the retrospective method and the need for further studies to validate the method are noted.
Apology and Restitution: Offender Accountability Responses Influence Victim Empathy and Forgiveness
Authors: Witvliet Charlotte V. O. , Wade Nathaniel G. , Worthington Everett L. , Root Luna Lindsey , Van Tongeren Daryl R. , Berry Jack W. , Tsang Jo-Ann
Published: April 2020

Two experiments ( N = 487) tested the effects of receiving an apology (absent, present) and restitution (absent, present) in imagery of a one-sided transgression and common property crime, a burglary scenario. Within a framework of accountability, apology and restitution represent relationally responsive responsibility-taking and repair efforts by a perpetrator. Experiments 1 and 2 found that a thorough apology and restitution each decreased unforgiveness while eliciting increased empathy and forgiveness from student and community samples, respectively. Experiment 2 found that a custody condition consistent with a perpetrator’s willing accountability for wrongdoing (i.e., spontaneous confession with surrender) decreased unforgiveness while increasing empathy and forgiveness in comparison to a custody condition in which the offender was being held accountable externally (involuntary apprehension) or a no-custody control condition. This experimental evidence points to offender accountability efforts through apology, restitution, and surrender as important for decreasing victims’ unforgiving motivations and promoting their empathy and forgiveness.
Sternoclavicular Amyloid Arthropathy in a Patient With End-Stage Renal Disease
Authors: Haritha Abhishek , Gomez Juan S. , Dabrowski Dominik , Flowers Ashley , Cuellar Hugo
Published: April 2020

Amyloidosis is an extracellular deposition of amyloid located in different organs or in a systemic distribution. We present a case of a 78 year-old male with hemodyalisis assosciated amyloidosisis involving the right sternoclavicular joint. Clinical and imaging implications are described.
An empirical evaluation of a graphics creation technique for blind and visually impaired individuals
Authors: Fernando Sandra , Ohene-Djan James
Published: April 2020

The representation of pictorial data by people who are blind and sight impaired has gathered momentum with research and development; however, little research has focused on the use of a screen layout to provide people who are blind and sight impaired users with the spatial orientation to create and reuse graphics. This article contributes an approach to navigating on the screen, manipulating computer graphics, and user-defined images. The technique described in this article enables features such as zooming, grouping, and drawing by calling primitive and user-defined shapes. It enables blind people to engage in and experience drawing and art production on their own. The navigation technique gives an initiative sense of autonomy with compass directions, makes it easy to learn, efficient to manipulate shape with a the simple drawing language, and takes less time to complete with system support features. An empirical evaluation was conducted to validate the suitability of the SETUP09 technique and to evaluate the accuracy, and efficiency of the navigation and drawing techniques proposed. The drawing experiment results confirmed high accuracy (88%) and efficiency among blind and visually impaired (BVI) users.
‘Orientation and Mobility . . . What is that again?’
Authors: Blake Katrina
Published: April 2020

Orientation and Mobility (O&M) is historically understood as the technical skills required for a person with visual impairment to move independently and safely through their environment. O&M instruction was originally positioned as a way to progress the rehabilitation of US veterans blinded in World War II. Since then, the long white cane has been synonymous with visual impairment, blindness, and the discipline of O&M. To this day, the attainment of long-cane skills and route travel persists as a major component of O&M practice and research. This pervasive quantitative conception of O&M instruction promotes attitudes, perspectives, and interests that impede a shared commitment to studying and improving the fundamentals of O&M. Drawing on qualitative data from interviews with three Queensland primary school students with visual impairment, a parent, teacher, and a panel of Australian O&M specialists the sub-culture of O&M is illuminated. Results indicate a lack of general awareness of the impact of Visual Impairment and of O&M, and shed light on the authentic learning experiences of the three students with visual impairment. To better understand the influence of visual impairment on independent travel and subsequently the tenets of O&M learning and teaching, it is necessary to challenge the conventional way of telling the story of O&M. The importance of changing preconceived ideas and values of O&M is discussed.
A child for every family? Characterizations of “adoptable” foster children in online permanency advocacy publications
Authors: Scharp Kristina M. , Thomas Lindsey J.
Published: April 2020

Despite the prevalence of children in need of adoption from the U.S. foster care system, only one of every 28 individuals who contact an adoption agency adopt from foster care. In response, adoption professionals create photolistings to maximize the pool of available prospective adoptive families and enhance the visibility of fostered youth. Yet, creating photolistings is challenging because professionals must navigate helping to place children without exploiting or misrepresenting them. Framed by relational dialectics theory, a contrapuntal analysis of 104 photolistings examined the discursive tensions of what it means to be an “adoptable” child. Findings revealed three discourses that constitute meaning: (1) discourse of child as unadoptable, (2) discourse of child as special, and (3) discourse of child as typical. The findings illustrate triadic interplay of all three discourses, wherein framing a child as special and/or typical counters culturally pervasive and damaging assumptions that fostered youth might be unadoptable or less adoptable than other children. Theoretical, methodological, and practical applications are discussed.
Fixation of orbicularis oculi muscle and orbital septum to pretarsal fascia and correction of blepharoptosis in construction of double eyelids
Authors: Dong Ziying , Meng Pingping , Zhang Lei , Chen Zhenyu
Published: April 2020

Objective

This study was performed to evaluate a novel method of constructing double eyelids by fixation of the orbicularis oculi muscle and orbital septum to the pretarsal fascia and correction of blepharoptosis.

Methods

In total, 285 patients requesting aesthetic construction of double eyelids were divided into three groups: those treated by the modified method (Group A, n = 108), those treated by traditional construction of the upper eyelid (Group B, n = 85), and those treated by the Park method (Group C, n = 92). The patients were followed up for 3 to 12 months (average, 6 months). The surgical effects and degree of satisfaction were compared among the three groups.

Results

In Group A, the mean operative time was 1.0 ± 0.2 hours. The degree of satisfaction with the surgical effect was significantly different between Group A (95.37%) and Group B (87.06%). However, no significant difference in satisfaction was noted between Group A (95.37%) and Group C (91.30%) or between Group B (87.06%) and Group C (91.30%).

Conclusions

The modified technique is simple and effective for construction of double eyelids and correction of blepharoptosis. All patients were satisfied with the surgical and aesthetic effects.
Intergenerational Continuity in Child Maltreatment: Explicating Underlying Mechanisms
Authors: Martoccio Tiffany L. , Berlin Lisa J. , Aparicio Elizabeth M. , Appleyard Carmody Karen , Dodge Kenneth A.
Published: April 2020

The current study examined direct and indirect effects of a mother’s history of childhood physical and sexual abuse on her child’s officially reported victimization. This prospective, longitudinal study followed a community-based sample of 499 mothers and their children. Mothers (35% White/non-Latina, 34% Black/non-Latina, 23% Latina, and 7% other) were recruited and interviewed during pregnancy, and child protective services records were reviewed for the presence of the participants’ target child between birth and age 3.5. Whereas both types of maternal maltreatment history doubled the child’s risk of child protective services investigation, mothers’ sexual abuse history conferred significantly greater risk. Pathways to child victimization varied by type of maternal maltreatment history. Mothers who had been physically abused later demonstrated interpersonal aggressive response biases, which mediated the path to child victimization. In contrast, the association between maternal history of sexual abuse and child victimization was mediated by mothers’ substance use problems. Study implications center on targeting child maltreatment prevention efforts according to the mother’s history and current problems.
Attitudes About Intimate Partner Violence and Alcohol Consumption
Authors: Roach Andrea L. , Ermer Ashley E. , Coleman Marilyn , Ganong Lawrence
Published: April 2020

This mixed methods study analyzed individual attitudes regarding how the gender of an aggressor, levels of aggression (i.e., slapping, punching, or threatening with a weapon), and alcohol consumption (i.e., one beer, three beers, or six beers) are associated with attitudes about (a) the use of violence in intimate partner violence (IPV) in a romantic relationship and (b) the influence of alcohol on the violent act. Individuals ( n = 546) participated in an online survey using multiple segment factorial vignettes, which allowed participants to respond to the actions of characters in a hypothetical scenario rather than how they might have reacted in a similar scenario. Regarding the use of IPV, 512 believed the violent act should not have occurred. Logistic regressions revealed participants (a) were significantly less likely to say alcohol influenced a male in comparison to a female, (b) were significantly more likely to respond that the perpetrator’s behavior was influenced by having drunk three or six beers compared with just one, and (c) were not significantly more or less likely to say the alcohol influenced the type of violence used. Analyses of qualitative responses (a) reinforced beliefs that violence (generally) and IPV (specifically) were not acceptable and (b) showed that beliefs about the influence of alcohol included attitudes regarding alcohol enhancing emotions and/or clouding judgment, perpetrators being in control regardless of alcohol intake, alcohol not being used as an excuse for violence, alcohol affecting people differently, and alcohol results in people showing their true selves. In addition, participants tended to downplay alcohol-related female-perpetrated aggressions. The results of this study help to better understand attitudes about IPV and the role that alcohol plays in violent relationships. Information derived from this study can be used in informational and intervention workshops which address IPV.
Naum Efimovich Ischlondsky: a forgotten protagonist of the concept of reflexology
Authors: Engmann Birk
Published: April 2020

The present article reports on the life and work of a protagonist of the concept of reflexology. While the concept itself has its roots in Russia, in Ivan Petrovich Pavlov’s research on conditioned reflexes, and was then shaped to a large extent by Vladimir Mikhailovich Bekhterev, the contributions of Naum Efimovich Ischlondsky (Ishlondsky) have been largely forgotten. Moreover, he developed this concept throughout his life up to the 1960s, by which time he was living in the USA. In contrast, in the Soviet Union, the concepts of reflexology based on the work of Bechterev and his followers had already been abandoned by the 1930s for largely political reasons.
The electroshock triangle: disputes about the ECT apparatus prototype and its display in the 1960s
Authors: Sirgiovanni Elisabetta , Aruta Alessandro
Published: April 2020

In the early 1960s, a climate of public condemnation of electroconvulsive therapy was emerging in the USA and Europe. In spite of this, the electroshock apparatus prototype, introduced in Rome in 1938, was becoming hotly contended. This article explores the disputes around the display of the electroshock apparatus prototype in the summer of 1964 and sheds new light on the triangle of personalities that shaped its future: Karl and William Menninger, two key figures of American psychiatry in Topeka; their competitor, Adalberto Pazzini, the founder of the Sapienza Museum of the History of Medicine in Rome; and, between them, Lucio Bini, one of the original inventors of ECT, who died unexpectedly that summer.
Euphemistic dysphemisms and dysphemistic euphemisms as means to convey irony and banter
Authors: Terry Adeline
Published: April 2020

This article aims to determine whether euphemistic dysphemisms and dysphemistic euphemisms, two concepts defined by Allan and Burridge (1991, 2006), can convey irony and banter, which are defined, among other linguists, by Leech (1983, 2014\). He argues that irony and banter are ‘second-order strategies rooted in violations of the CP [Cooperative Principle] or the PP Politeness Principle], and working in contrary directions’ (Leech, 2014: 100). There are many similarities in the definitions of X-phemisms and those of irony and banter: in the cases of irony and euphemistic dysphemisms, an apparently polite utterance is not interpreted as such, whereas in the cases of banter and dysphemistic euphemisms, an apparently impolite utterance is not. I use examples from American TV shows ( House, M.D., Sex and the City, How I met Your Mother, The Big Bang Theory, Grey’s Anatomy) to describe the underlying mechanisms of the functioning of these four devices. The results of the study show that dysphemistic euphemisms can convey banter but that euphemistic dysphemisms cannot convey irony, though they can sometimes convey banter.
Fully biodegradable hybrid poly(vinyl alcohol)-based composites reinforced with flax/cotton fabric and modified with a waste filler: Thermomechanical properties
Authors: Mysiukiewicz Olga , Barczewski Mateusz , Matykiewicz Danuta , Skórczewska Katarzyna
Published: April 2020

The object of the research was biodegradable hybrid composites based on poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA), reinforced with cotton/flax woven fabric and 5–30 phr of chestnut shell powder, a waste filler. The influence of the lignocellulosic particles on mechanical, thermal, and thermomechanical properties of the composites determined in static tensile test, thermogravimetric analysis, and dynamic mechanical thermal analysis and evaluated in reference to the materials’ structures assessed by means of optical microscopy. The analysis was complemented with evaluation of physical properties of the composites, such as density and moisture content. It was found that the hybrid composites present favorable properties and addition of the waste filler does not cause a deterioration of the thermomechanical characteristics of the materials. Utilization of the waste filler for production of the PVA-based composites is consistent with the idea of Circular Economy and also allows to obtain materials with properties comparable with the ones of conventional polymers.
Two faces of party system stability: Programmatic change and party replacement
Authors: Borbáth Endre
Published: April 2020

Despite extensive research on party system stability, the concept is often reduced to the survival of existing parties. This article argues for introducing programmatic stability as a separate dimension and shows how the combination of party replacement and programmatic instability shapes patterns of party competition. Based on their interaction, the article distinguishes four ideal types: stable systems, systems with empty party labels, systems with ephemeral parties, and general instability. The empirical analysis relies on media data and proposes a new measure of programmatic stability to study its interaction with party replacement in fifteen European countries during the period of the economic crisis. As the article shows, the two dimensions shape the transformation of party systems in northwestern, southern, and eastern Europe. Relying on multidimensional scaling, the article analyzes in detail the cases of the United Kingdom, Romania, Ireland, and Latvia to showcase party competition under different conditions of systemic instability.
Analysing labour productivity and its economic consequences in the two Spanish tourist archipelagos
Authors: Inchausti-Sintes Federico , Pérez-Granja Ubay , Morales-Mohamed José Juan
Published: April 2020

The analysis of productivity in tourism has mainly focused at sectoral level. However, the strong dependence on services and its impact at macroeconomic level in tourism-led economies should require a deeper analysis of productivity, especially when faced with increased cheaper competition. This article estimates a stochastic production frontier and compares the differences in labour productivity between industrial-led and tourism-led provinces in Spain. This analysis provides novel results in terms of technological changes by differentiating industrial-led province from tourism-led province. Finally, these labour productivities are introduced in a dynamic computable general equilibrium model of the two Spanish archipelagos to analyse their respective macroeconomic impact. The results show that the increase in permanent jobs in both economies leads to a convergence in labour productivity with those that are industry led. Furthermore, labour productivity gains improve competitivity against foreign destinations and enhance sectoral diversificación. However, tourism may crowd out domestic demand and investment.