bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Potential of Abattoir Waste for Bioenergy as Sustainable Management, Eastern Ethiopia, 2019
Authors: Tolera Sina Temsgen , Alemu Fekade Ketema
Published: February 2020

Our environment is facing serious problems of high volumes of waste generation and inadequate disposal system in worldwide particularly in developing countries. There is also lack of studies on quantification of abattoir waste and lack of workers awareness towards abattoir waste. Therefore, the purpose of the study was to estimate abattoir waste for bioenergy potential as sustainable management. A cross-sectional study was conducted in four selected abattoirs of Eastern Ethiopia from January 1st, 2018 to December 30th, 2018. The magnitude of abattoir waste composition was computed based on Aniebo mathematical computational from the actual number of slaughtered livestock. The study demonstrated that four selected abattoirs generate 1,606.403 ton of abattoir waste per year and using anaerobic digestion of about 85,139 m3/year of biogas and 111.25 ton/year of biofertilizer can be produced. The biogas or energy from the waste can replace firewood and charcoal and the expensive fossil fuels. Using Banks mathematical computation about 20,054.12 m3/year production of biogas could replace 20.56 ton/year of energy consumed by liquefied petroleum gas, kerosene, charcoal, furnace oil, petrol, and diesel in average. The current estimated biofertilizer (111.25 ton/year) from four abattoir sites can cover about 2,225 hectares/year with its advantage and efficiency of soil. When turned into cost, about $55,645 per year of price could estimate from biogas and biofertilizer. The study concluded that huge amount of biogas and dry biofertilizer yields could produce from abattoir waste through anaerobic digestion. Therefore, installing anaerobic digestion plant is recommended to ensure environmental safety and public health.
Prolonged Hypercalcemia-Induced Psychosis
Authors: Nagy Lauren , Mangini Pratheek , Schroen Caitlin , Aziz Rehan , Tobia Anthony
Published: February 2020

Hypercalcemia is known to cause neuropsychiatric dysfunction including mood and cognitive changes and rarely, acute psychosis. High calcium levels can be a catalyst for neuronal demise, possibly due to glutaminergic excitotoxicity and dopaminergic and serotonergic dysfunction. While restoration of normal calcium levels or removal of a parathyroid adenoma has been shown to rapidly resolve neuropsychiatric symptoms, there have been rare reported cases of primary hyperparathyroid-related hypercalcemia with persistent symptoms of psychosis. In this case report, we will describe a patient with no past psychiatric history presenting with a protracted course of delirium and psychosis after a removal of a parathyroid adenoma which had caused prolonged exposure to hypercalcemia. The patient’s psychosis was unresponsive to psychotropic medication and required inpatient psychiatric care after medical clearance. Per medical records, before the patient was ultimately lost to follow-up, she continued to suffer from psychotic symptoms for at least 8 months. We will discuss the patient’s unusual hospital course and management and offer suggestions for future study.
Evaluation of Public Transport-Based Accessibility to Health Facilities considering Spatial Heterogeneity
Authors: Zhang Yuliang , Li Wenxiang , Deng Haopeng , Li Ye
Published: February 2020

Ensuring adequate public transport-based accessibility to health facilities in different regions is a major concern of social equity and public health for government. However, the imbalanced spatial distribution of health facilities may lead to an inaccurate evaluation of the accessibility, which is shaped by both land use and transportation. To address this problem, this study proposed a new approach to evaluate the adequacy of public transport-based accessibility to health facilities considering the spatial heterogeneity. First, we obtained the spatial distribution of health facilities based on POI data, calculated the population centroids of census tract-based mobile phone positioning data, and estimated travel times from population centroids to every health facility based on web map services. Second, the public transport-based accessibility to health facilities was measured by the isochrone approach. Then, the spatial heterogeneity of the health facilities was quantified by a spatial proximity index based on the gravity model. At last, a benchmark curve of accessibility vs. spatial proximity was established to evaluate the public transport-based accessibility to health facilities in different areas with spatial heterogeneity. A case study of 218 census tracts in Shanghai was conducted to verify this method. Consequently, we successfully identified the census tracts where the public transport-based accessibility to health facilities is insufficient. It shows that even some census tracts within the central city areas are still short of public transport-based accessibility to health facilities, whereas some tracts in the urban periphery may have adequate public transport-based accessibility even though there are limited health facilities nearby.
Comparative Study of the Grid Side Converter’s Control during a Voltage Dip
Authors: Elaimani Hind , Essadki Ahmed , Elmouhi Noureddine , Chakib Rachid
Published: February 2020

The modeling and control of a wind energy conversion system based on the Doubly Fed Induction Generator DFIG is the discussed theme in this paper. The purpose of this system was to control active and reactive power converted; this control is ensured thanks to the control of the two converters. The proposed control strategies are controlled by PI regulators and the sliding mode technique. In the present work a comparison of the robustness of the 2 controls of the grid side converter (GSC) during a voltage dip is shown. The simulation is carried out using the Matlab/Simulink software with a 300 kW generator.
A Novel Hierarchical Hybrid Model for Short-Term Bus Passenger Flow Forecasting
Authors: Zhai Huawei , Tian Ruijie , Cui Licheng , Xu Xiaowei , Zhang Weishi
Published: February 2020

For the increasing travel demands and public transport problems, dynamically adjusting timetable or bus scheduling is necessary based on accurate real-time passenger flow forecasting. In order to get more accurate passenger flow in future, this paper proposes a novel hierarchical hybrid model based on time series model, deep belief networks (DBNs), and improved incremental extreme learning machine (Im-ELM) to forecast short-term passenger flow. The proposed model is named HTSDBNE with two modelling steps. First, referring the idea of parallelization, the hybrid model, constructed by time series model, DBN, and Im-ELM, is used to forecast short-term passenger flow in different time scales hierarchically and parallel. Second, Im-ELM is utilized to analyse the relationship of forecasting results from the first step, and the weighted outputs of Im-ELM are as the final forecasting results. Comparing with single forecasting models and typical hybrid forecasting models, the testing results indicate that HTSDBNE has better performances. The mean absolute percent error of prediction results is around 10% and fully meets the application requirements of bus operation enterprise.
Optimal Controls of the Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy
Authors: Grigorieva Ellina V. , Khailov Evgenii N. , Korobeinikov Andrei
Published: February 2020

In this paper, we study generic properties of the optimal, in a certain sense, highly active antiretroviral therapy (or HAART). To address this problem, we consider a control model based on the 3-dimensional Nowak–May within-host HIV dynamics model. Taking into consideration that precise forms of functional responses are usually unknown, we introduce into this model a nonlinear incidence rate of a rather general form given by an unspecified function of the susceptible cells and free virus particles. We also add a term responsible to the loss of free virions due to infection of the target cells. To mirror the idea of highly active anti-HIV therapy, in this model we assume six controls that can act simultaneously. These six controls affecting different stage of virus life cycle comprise all controls possible for this model and account for all feasible actions of the existing anti-HIV drugs. With this control model, we consider an optimal control problem of minimizing the infection level at the end of a given time interval. Using an analytical mathematical technique, we prove that the optimal controls are bang-bang, find accurate estimates for the maximal possible number of switchings of these controls and establish qualitative types of the optimal controls as well as mutual relationships between them. Having the estimate for the number of switchings found, we can reduce the two-point boundary value problem for Pontryagin Maximum Principle to a considerably simpler problem of the finite-dimensional optimization, which can be solved numerically. Despite this possibility, the obtained theoretical results are illustrated by numerical calculations using BOCOP–2.0.5 software package, and the corresponding conclusions are made.
Analysis of Air Purification Methods in Operating Rooms of Chinese Hospitals
Authors: Zhang Bingli , Li Liuyi , Yao Xi , Gong Yuxiu , Zhang Yu , Yang Huai , Li Weiguang , Lin Ling , Yang Yun , Zhang Haojun , Jia Huixue
Published: February 2020

This research demonstrates the current use of air purification methods in the operating rooms (ORs) in China. 154 hospitals from 6 provinces were included in this survey to reflect the air purification methods of ORs in 2017. Air cleaning technology (ACT) is used in 124 (80.52%) hospitals. We find that the rates of using grade I, III, or IV clean operating room (COR) in tertiary hospitals are all higher than in lower level hospitals; the rate of using ACT in the ORs is higher, too. In addition, general hospitals have higher rate in using ACT in the ORs than specialized hospitals. The highest rate of using ACT in the ORs is in the eastern region of China. The number of hospitals using ACT, ultraviolet light disinfection, and air sterilizers (such as circulating air UV sterilizer) increased yearly. All grades of CORs can be maintained as required by more than 90% hospitals except grade II COR. In this research, we found air purification methods, especially the ACT, are widely used in hospitals’ ORs. However, finding the way to select and use different air purification methods correctly is an urgent problem to be solved next.
The Impact of Health Resort Treatment on the Nonenzymatic Endogenous Antioxidant System
Authors: Kuciel-Lewandowska Jadwiga , Kasperczak Michał , Bogut Bożena , Heider Roman , Laber Wojciech T. , Laber Wojciech , Paprocka-Borowicz Małgorzata
Published: February 2020

Introduction. Oxygen, reacting with organic compounds in living organisms, oxidizes them without being completely reduced due to numerous exogenous as well as endogenous factors. As a consequence, free radicals or reactive oxygen species are formed. Health resort-based balneophysiotherapy is a comprehensive therapeutic intervention that triggers positive therapeutic effects within the entire system. Material and Methods. The objective of the study was to assess the impact of health resort-based balneophysiotherapy on the levels of nonenzymatic endogenous antioxidants in patients with degenerative motor organ diseases, as well as to determine potential correlation of these changes with free radical-mediated processes. Observation was carried out in patients undergoing health resort therapy as part of 21-day stay periods. The study population consisted of n=110 patients with articular and spinal pains due to degenerative diseases or discopathies. Results. Reduced bilirubin and albumin levels as well as increased uric acid levels were observed in the study group following the health resort treatment. Conclusions. Bilirubin and albumin levels were reduced while uric acid levels were increased as the result of health resort therapy in patients with degenerative motor organ diseases. The observed changes in the levels of nonenzymatic endogenous antioxidants depend on free radical-mediated systemic transformations. The trial is registered with NCT03405350.
Oxidative Stress and Gut-Derived Lipopolysaccharides in Neurodegenerative Disease: Role of NOX2
Authors: Loffredo Lorenzo , Ettorre Evaristo , Zicari Anna Maria , Inghilleri Maurizio , Nocella Cristina , Perri Ludovica , Spalice Alberto , Fossati Chiara , De Lucia Maria Caterina , Pigozzi Fabio , Cacciafesta Mauro , Violi Francesco , Carnevale Roberto , Neurodegenerative Disease study group
Published: February 2020

Background. Neurodegenerative diseases (ND) as Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis represent a growing cause of disability in the developed countries. The underlying physiopathology is still unclear. Several lines of evidence suggest a role for oxidative stress and NADPH oxidase 2 (NOX2) in the neuropathological pathways that lead to ND. Furthermore, recent studies hypothesized a role for gut microbiota in the neuroinflammation; in particular, lipopolysaccharide (LPS) derived from Gram-negative bacteria in the gut is believed to play a role in causing ND by increase of oxidative stress and inflammation. The aim of this study was to assess NOX2 activity as well as serum 8-iso-prostaglandin F2α (8-iso-PGF2α), serum H2O2, and LPS in patients with ND compared to controls. Methods. One hundred and twenty-eight consecutive subjects, including 64 ND patients and 64 controls (CT) matched for age and gender, were recruited. A cross-sectional study was performed to compare serum activity of soluble NOX2-dp (sNOX2-dp), blood levels of isoprostanes, serum H2O2, and LPS in these two groups. Serum zonulin was used to assess gut permeability. Results. Compared with CT, ND patients had higher values of sNOX2-dp, 8-iso-PGF2α, H2O2, and LPS. Simple linear regression analysis showed that sNOX2-dp was significantly correlated with serum LPS (Rs=0.441; p<0.001), zonulin (Rs=0.411; p<0.001), serum H2O2 (Rs=0.329; p<0.001), and 8-iso-PGF2α (Rs=0.244; p=0.006). LPS significantly correlated with serum zonulin (Rs=0.818; p<0.001) and 8-iso-PGF2α (Rs=0.280; p=0.001). A multiple linear regression analysis was performed to define the independent predictors of sNOX2-dp. LPS (SE, 0.165; standardized coefficient β, 0.459; p<0.001) and 8-iso-PGF2α (SE, 0.018; standardized coefficient β, 0.220; p=0.005) emerged as the only independent predictive variables associated with sNOX2-dp (R2=57%). Conclusion. This study provides the first report attesting that patients with ND have high NOX2 activation that could be potentially implicated in the process of neuroinflammation.
Regional Difference in Spatial Effects: A Theoretical and Empirical Study on the Environmental Effects of FDI and Corruption in China
Authors: Tang Dengli , Li Shijie , Yang Yuanhua , Gu Lianglie
Published: February 2020

Environmental pollution has aroused extensive concern worldwide in recent years. Existing studies on the relationship between foreign direct investment (FDI) and environmental pollution have, however, paid little attention to spatial effects and regional corruption’s environmental performance from a spatial perspective. To address this gap, we investigate the spatial agglomeration effects of environmental pollution in China and the environmental effects of FDI and regional corruption using spatial econometric analysis method. The results indicate significant spatial agglomeration effects in environmental pollution. The results of spatial panel data models reveal that the estimation coefficient of FDI is significantly negative, and FDI inflows reduce China’s environmental pollution. Regional corruption is shown to increase environmental pollution, thereby contributing further to environmental degradation. The interaction coefficient of FDI and regional corruption is significantly positive, indicating that regional corruption reduces the environmental benefits derived from FDI. In addition, regional differences in spatial effects verify that regional corruption also reduces the environmental performance of FDI in the central region. Meanwhile, regional corruption increases the environmental aggravation effects of FDI in the eastern region but weakens it in the western region. Our findings lead to some policy recommendations with regard to environmental protection and pollution control.
In-Lane Localization and Ego-Lane Identification Method Based on Highway Lane Endpoints
Authors: Choi Kyoungtaek , Suhr Jae Kyu , Jung Ho Gi
Published: February 2020

The low-cost global navigation satellite systems combined with an inertial navigation system (GNSS/INS) used most frequently for vehicle localization show errors up to 10 m, approximately, even in open-sky environments such as highways. To reduce this error on highways, this paper proposes a localization method based on lane endpoints. Since a lane endpoint frequently appears on a road and can be detected in close proximity even by a low-cost monocular camera, it is a very useful landmark for precise localization. However, the lane width is generally less than 3.5 m, and the localization error from the GNSS is about 10 m. Therefore, if an ego-lane is not identified, the lane endpoints detected in an ego-lane can be falsely corresponded to the lane endpoints in the other lane of a map. This paper proposes an in-lane localization method that uses lane endpoints, the relation between a camera and a road, and the estimated vehicle’s orientation from a map. In addition, this paper proposes an ego-lane identification method that generates a hypothesis about an ego vehicle position per lane by using the proposed in-lane localization method and verifies each hypothesis by the projection of lane endpoints and an additional landmark such as a road sign. The average error of the proposed in-lane localization method is 0.248 m on highways. The success rate of the proposed ego-lane identification method is 99.28% by one trial and reaches 100% by fusing the results.
Mangiferin Alleviates Renal Interstitial Fibrosis in Streptozotocin-Induced Diabetic Mice through Regulating the PTEN/PI3K/Akt Signaling Pathway
Authors: Song Yanyan , Liu Wei , Tang Ke , Zang Junting , Li Dong , Gao Hang
Published: February 2020

Renal interstitial fibrosis is considered to be the typical manifestation of diabetic nephropathy (DN). Mangiferin has shown positive effect on the prevention or treatment of diabetes and its complications. The aim of this study was to explore the inhibitive effect and mechanism of mangiferin on renal interstitial fibrosis in diabetic mice. Streptozotocin- (STZ-) induced diabetic mice were treated with mangiferin (15, 30, and 60 mg/kg/d) for 4 weeks. The morphology of kidneys was observed by Masson’s trichrome staining, and the biochemical parameters (fasting blood glucose (FBG), triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol (TC), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), serum creatinine (SCr), and urine protein) were determined by kits. In addition, the levels of inflammatory cytokines (tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin- (IL-) 6, and IL-1β), antioxidant enzymes (SOD, CAT, and GSH-Px), MDA, and ROS were assessed. Furthermore, the expressions of fibronectin (FN), collagen I (Col I), and α-SMA were measured by immunohistochemistry. Regulations of TGF-β1 and the PTEN/PI3K/Akt pathway were detected by Western blotting. Treatment with mangiferin significantly ameliorated renal dysfunction in diabetic mice, as evidenced by the increase in body weight and decreases in FBG, TG, TC, BUN, SCr, urine protein, and the kidney to body weight ratio (KW/BW). Furthermore, mangiferin treatment prevented renal interstitial fibrosis evidenced by decreases in the positive expression of FN, Col I, and α-SMA, in comparison with morphological changes in the renal tissue. Meanwhile, mangiferin increased antioxidant enzymes, reduced the TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1β, as well as MDA and ROS. Additionally, mangiferin administration also downregulated TGF-β1, upregulated PTEN, and decreased the phosphorylation of both PI3K and Akt. These findings demonstrate that mangiferin may reduce inflammation and oxidative stress in DN, thereby inhibiting the renal interstitial fibrosis by reducing the TGF-β1-mediated elevation of Col I, FN, and α-SMA through the PTEN/PI3K/Akt pathway.
Design, Implementation, and Validation of Robust Fractional-Order PD Controller for Wheeled Mobile Robot Trajectory Tracking
Authors: Zhang Lichuan , Liu Lu , Zhang Shuo
Published: February 2020

In this paper, a trajectory tracking control algorithm is proposed based on the fractional-order PD (FOPD) controller for a Wheeled Mobile Robot (WMR). Firstly, an improved flat phase property is put forward as a robust controller tuning specification. This specification is capable of guaranteeing the flatness of the phase curve in a frequency interval, so the controlled system robustness can be improved. Then, the stabilization process is discussed with respect to the parameters of the FOPD controller through a visualized 3-dimensional surface, so both the stability and robustness of the controlled system can be guaranteed under the proposed controller. Furthermore, the implementation of the proposed robust FOPD controller is presented, which makes the control algorithm easy to be realized. At last, the effectiveness of the proposed trajectory tracking control algorithm is verified by the simulation and experiment results.
Modeling and Estimation of Thermal Flows Based on Transport and Balance Equations
Authors: Alessandri Angelo , Bagnerini Patrizia , Cianci Roberto , Revetria Roberto
Published: February 2020

Heat transfer in counterflow heat exchangers is modeled by using transport and balance equations with the temperatures of cold fluid, hot fluid, and metal pipe as state variables distributed along the entire pipe length. Using such models, boundary value problems can be solved to estimate the temperatures over all the length by means of measurements taken only at the boundaries. Conditions for the stability of the estimation error given by the difference between the temperatures and their estimates are established by using a Lyapunov approach. Toward this end, a method to construct nonlinear Lyapunov functionals is addressed by relying on a polynomial diagonal structure. This stability analysis is extended in case of the presence of bounded modeling uncertainty. The theoretical findings are illustrated with numerical results, which show the effectiveness of the proposed approach.
Diagnosis and Management of a Unilateral Posterior Open Bite Using a Temporary Anchorage Device (TAD): Case Report and Review of the Literature
Authors: Alyami Bandar
Published: February 2020

This report describes the diagnosis and successful treatment of a unilateral posterior open bite (POB) in a 15-year-old Caucasian boy. Simple mechanics were used to rule out ankylosis of left posterior teeth as the etiological factor of the POB. Thereafter, the same mechanics were continued to expand the unilateral constricted maxilla, to create a space, and to close POB. Sectional biomechanics were applied to avoid undesirable tooth movements. Then, continuous arch wires were employed to coordinate arches and to achieve treatment objectives.
Inhibition of BCL2 Family Members Increases the Efficacy of Copper Chelation in BRAFV600E-Driven Melanoma
Authors: Kim Ye-Jin , Tsang Tiffany , Anderson Grace R. , Posimo Jessica M. , Brady Donita C.
Published: February 2020

The principal unmet need in BRAFV600E-positive melanoma is lack of an adequate therapeutic strategy capable of overcoming resistance to clinically approved targeted therapies against oncogenic BRAF and/or the downstream MEK1/2 kinases. We previously discovered that copper (Cu) is required for MEK1 and MEK2 activity through a direct Cu–MEK1/2 interaction. Repurposing the clinical Cu chelator tetrathiomolybdate (TTM) is supported by efficacy in BRAFV600E-driven melanoma models, due in part to inhibition of MEK1/2 kinase activity. However, the antineoplastic activity of Cu chelators is cytostatic. Here, we performed high-throughput small-molecule screens to identify bioactive compounds that synergize with TTM in BRAFV600E-driven melanoma cells. Genetic perturbation or pharmacologic inhibition of specific members of the BCL2 family of antiapoptotic proteins (BCL-W, BCL-XL, and MCL1) selectively reduced cell viability when combined with a Cu chelator and induced CASPASE-dependent cell death. Further, in BRAFV600E-positive melanoma cells evolved to be resistant to BRAF and/or MEK1/2 inhibitors, combined treatment with TTM and the clinically evaluated BCL2 inhibitor, ABT-263, restored tumor growth suppression and induced apoptosis. These findings further support Cu chelation as a therapeutic strategy to target oncogene-dependent tumor cell growth and survival by enhancing Cu chelator efficacy with chemical inducers of apoptosis, especially in the context of refractory or relapsed BRAFV600E-driven melanoma.

Significance:

This study unveils a novel collateral drug sensitivity elicited by combining copper chelators and BH3 mimetics for treatment of BRAFV600E mutation-positive melanoma.
Encounters with the Most Animal Other: Rabies, Biopolitics, and Disease Prevention in Bali
Authors: Drake Phillip
Published: February 2020

Since 2008, rabies has killed several thousand semi-feral dogs in Bali, but hundreds of thousands of dogs have been killed by government officials to control the disease, which continues to spread. This article tracks this rabies outbreak and the efforts to contain the disease, noting frictions that emerged between officials and animal welfare activists. The former depict the dogs as a nuisance that should be exterminated, while the latter showcase the dogs’ cultural and scientific importance. This biopolitical contest hinges on formulations of animality that position dogs in opposition to humans. Rabies complicates this conflict, as it not only violates human/nonhuman animal boundaries, rendering both human and nonhuman communities vulnerable to infection, but also transforms those who are infected into radically animal (violent, unreasonable, frothing) individuals. By rethinking animality via rabies, we may better recognize and counter articulations of animality that render vulnerable populations killable.
Both aggressive and affiliative behaviour facilitate resource access in high-ranking female long-tailed macaques (Macaca fascicularis)
Authors: Overduin-de Vries Anne M. , de Vries Han , Vermande Marjolijn M. , Reijntjes Albert H.A. , Sterck Elisabeth H.M.
Published: February 2020

Access to limited resources may be achieved by dominance as well as by high rates of aggressive and affiliative behaviour. We investigated the relative effectiveness of dominance rank and aggressive and affiliative behaviour in accessing three material and three social resources. Aggressive and affiliative behaviour of 24 female long-tailed macaques was scored along with their success in resource access. Path models revealed that high-ranking individuals have more access to resources than low-ranking ones through their employment of both aggressive and affiliative behaviour. Physical aggression was effective in accessing two material resources (food and enrichment). Affiliative behaviour was effective in accessing one material (co-drinking) and one social (tolerance) resource. In conclusion, since aggressive behaviour was effective in accessing two material resources, while affiliative behaviour increased access to both a material and a social resource, affiliative behaviour is at least as important as aggressive behaviour for high-ranking individuals to access resources.
Tools for Managing Complex Negotiations
Authors: Crump Larry
Published: February 2020

“Management of complexity” was identified as a paradigm for negotiation analysis 25 years ago. Substantial progress has been made in conceptualizing complex negotiations since, although less has been accomplished with regard to operationalizing that knowledge so that tools can be developed to manage complex negotiations. This article begins by reviewing five separate theoretical frameworks of negotiation complexity and, through this analysis, identifies six significant characteristics of negotiation complexity: party numbers, negotiator roles, external environment, negotiation process, negotiation strategy, and party relations. Operational tools are identified for each variable. On the basis of this analysis, the article concludes by identifying additional tools that could be developed for managing complex negotiations.
Revisiting the Problem of Credibility in the Age of Post-Truth
Authors: Jönsson Christer
Published: February 2020

This essay raises the question whether citizens in the digital age can learn from how credibility is treated in international negotiations. Negotiators face problems both in attempting to send credible signals and in making credibility assessments of received signals. Several studies, starting with Schelling’s seminal analysis of commitments, indicate that credible signals are those that are somehow costly to the sender. Contributions to our understanding of how recipients make credibility assessments include Jervis’s distinction between signals (with no inherent credibility) and indices (believed to be untainted by deception). The most general conclusion emerging from existing research is that there is no definitive, infallible solution to the problem of credibility, insofar as deception and misperception are intrinsic to all signaling systems. Today’s unfortunate combination of limited awareness of credibility problems, on the one hand, and technological advances facilitating deception, on the other, calls for intensified education as well as multidisciplinary research.
Famine as a Collateral Damage of War
Authors: Stevoli Margherita
Published: February 2020

This contribution intends to assess the interplay between the proportionality rule and the prohibition of starvation, detailing how proportionality assessments undertaken by warring parties prior to launching attacks must take into consideration the food security situation of the affected civilian population, and the possibility of causing starvation. The article provides and analysis of the prohibition of starvation included in the Additional Protocols, outlining its inherent limitations. It then argues the need of evaluating the so-called “conflict-induced hunger” under the lens of the proportionality rule and gives an overview of how parties can include the evaluation of food insecurity and malnutrition levels in their assessment of collateral damages.
The Effects of Disrupting Holistic Processing on the Ability to Draw a Face
Authors: Ostrofsky Justin , Pletcher Ryan , Smith Jesse
Published: February 2020

Previous research has demonstrated that those more skilled in drawing tend to exhibit stronger local perceptual processing biases than those less skilled in drawing. However, due to the correlational nature of this research, it is unclear whether drawing performance is facilitated by biasing perception towards local visual information. In order to investigate this, we conducted an experiment where participants drew an aligned face or a horizontally-misaligned face. Previous perceptual research has demonstrated that aligned faces are processed holistically, whereas misaligned faces are processed locally. Thus, drawings of aligned faces are assumed to be guided by holistic processing, whereas drawings of misaligned faces are assumed to be guided by local processing. Drawings were objectively measured according to the relative spatial positioning of facial features. Relative to drawings of aligned faces, the accuracy of misaligned face drawings was either impaired (for drawings of the distance between the eyes and mouth) or was not affected (for drawings of the interocular distance, the distance between the nose and mouth, and the distance between the eyes and eyebrows). This pattern of drawing errors mirrored the effects of face inversion that has previously been reported, another manipulation that is thought to disrupt holistic processing. At least with respect to drawing the relative spatial positioning of facial features, we did not observe any evidence that supports the notion that biasing perceptual processing towards local visual information directly facilitates drawing performance.
In the Case of Theme: Topic Identifiers in English and Norwegian Academic Texts
Authors: Hasselgård Hilde
Published: February 2020

This paper investigates the use of clause-initial constituents prefaced by topic-identifying expressions such as in terms of, in the case of and their Norwegian counterparts. The focus is on the nature, frequency and discourse functions of these in a corpus of published academic writing in English and Norwegian and across three disciplines. Such expressions are rather infrequent overall, but medicine uses them the least and linguistics the most in both languages. The functions of the construction can be compared either to those of left dislocation or to other types of clause-initial adverbials depending on the degree of coreference between the theme and some element in the rheme. The pattern with coreference is more common in Norwegian than in English. Generally, topic identifiers are used for announcing explicitly a theme that represents a topic shift or a contrast with the preceding discourse. The study contributes to contrastive pragmatics through its focus on the discourse-pragmatic functions of the expressions under study and the cross-linguistic comparison of this type of information structuring device across different disciplines of academic writing.
Adult Aortotracheal Fistula as Sequela of Double Aortic Arch Repair in Infancy: A Case Report
Authors: Rees Andrew B. , Rodney Jennifer P. , Gilbert Mark R. , Kaiser Clayton A. , Gelbard Alexander H.
Published: February 2020

Introduction:

Double aortic arch is a rare congenital malformation of the aortic arch that most frequently presents in childhood. Early surgical intervention typically yields excellent outcomes.

Objectives:

To describe aortotracheal fistula as a rare, yet serious complication of vascular ring and subsequent aortic aneurysm in an adult patient.

Methods:

Clinical history, as well as radiographic and endoscopic imaging were obtained to describe the development, diagnosis, and clinical course of this patient’s aortotracheal fistula. Additionally, follow up data was obtained to document the healing of this fistula after surgical repair.

Results:

We describe a case of a 46-year-old male with DiGeorge Syndrome and a double aortic arch, repaired in childhood, which developed into an aortotracheal fistula after tracheostomy placement as an adult.

Conclusions:

This case demonstrates that dangerous complications of a double aortic arch can persist into adulthood, even after surgical repair in infancy. Each patient’s unique anatomy must be considered when thinking about airway management and prevention of complications of this rare congenital anomaly.
Children With Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Are at Increased Risk for Slowed Growth and Short Stature in Early Childhood
Authors: Davallow Ghajar Ladan , DeBoer Mark Daniel
Published: February 2020

Our objective was to evaluate the risk of short stature in children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and the effect of ADHD and its treatment on height-for-age z score (HAZ) and body mass index–for-age z score (BMIZ) in early childhood. We evaluated 7603 children from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study–Kindergarten Cohort 2011 and found that children with ADHD had lower HAZ at second and fourth grades and lower BMIZ at K to fourth grade. Children with ADHD at fourth grade had almost 4 times higher odds of short stature. Children with ADHD at K grew at a slower rate from K to fourth grade (difference in ΔHAZ = 0.23, 95% confidence interval = 0.04-0.42) and had less gain in BMI (difference in ΔBMIZ = 0.16, 95% confidence interval = 0.03-0.29). Longer duration of ADHD medication use was associated with lower HAZ at fourth grade and slower growth from K to fourth grade. These data may assist pediatricians in considering risk of poor growth in children with ADHD.
Pharmaceutical Side Effects and Mental Health Paradoxes among Racial-Ethnic Minorities
Authors: Schnittker Jason , Do Duy
Published: February 2020

Sociologists have long struggled to explain the minority mental health paradox: that racial-ethnic minorities often report better mental health than non-Hispanic whites despite social environments that seem less conducive to well-being. Using data from the 2008–2013 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS), this study provides a partial explanation for the paradox rooted in a very different disparity. Evidence from MEPS indicates that non-Hispanic whites consume more pharmaceuticals than racial-ethnic minorities for a wide variety of medical conditions. Moreover, non-Hispanic whites consume more pharmaceuticals that although effective in treating their focal indication, include depression or suicide as a side effect. In models that adjust for the use of such medications, the minority advantage in significant distress is reduced, in some instances to statistical nonsignificance. Although a significant black and Hispanic advantage in a continuous measure of distress remains, the magnitude of the difference is reduced considerably. The relationship between the use of medications with suicide as a side effect and significant distress is especially large, exceeding, for instance, the relationship between poverty and significant distress. For some minority groups, the less frequent use of such medications is driven by better health (as in the case of Asians), whereas for others, it reflects a treatment disparity (as in the case of blacks), although the consequences for the mental health paradox are the same. The implications of the results are discussed, especially with respect to the neglect of psychological side effects in the treatment of physical disease as well as the problem of multiple morbidities.
Better Understanding Psychosis: Psychospiritual Considerations in Clinical Settings
Authors: Spittles Brian
Published: February 2020

Throughout history, mental health professionals have generally endorsed an understanding of psychosis that occludes the consideration of possible psychospiritual determinants. However, in light of the similarities between psychotic and benign psychotic-like psychospiritual experiences, this article argues for the inclusion of psychospiritual matters in psychosis research and therapeutic practices. First, the relevance of psychospiritual considerations to mental health professionals is substantiated by examining literature whereby commentators seek to discern psychosis from nonpsychopathological psychotic-like experiences that often occur within psychospiritual contexts. Next, I step beyond this binary differential diagnosis approach to examine the possibility that psychotic and psychospiritual experiences share a common source and are intrinsically connected and indiscernible. Finally, I propose that this clinical dilemma may be redressed via the study and application of technologies of consciousness. Accordingly, I argue that the incorporation of psychospiritual research into better understanding psychosis calls for radical epistemological, diagnostic, and therapeutic changes within the mental health profession. Indeed, it appears that clinical efficacy may be advanced through mental health practitioners attaining expertise in technologies of consciousness, especially in seeking to understand psychosis in light of psychospiritual contingencies.
The Effectiveness of a Depression Literacy Program on Stigma and Mental Help-Seeking Among Adolescents in Malaysia: A Control Group Study With 3-Month Follow-Up
Authors: Ibrahim Norhayati , Mohd Safien A’isyah , Siau Ching Sin , Shahar Suzana
Published: February 2020

This study evaluated the effectiveness of a depression literacy program on depression literacy, mental health stigma, and help-seeking attitude among adolescents with a monthly household income of RM3900 a month or less (B40) in Malaysia. The program included a lecture, mental awareness activities, and a short video on depression. Residents from a boarding school for lower income families were involved in this study (N = 101); 53 of them underwent the program and another 48 served as the control group. There were significant improvements for all variables in the intervention group (better depression literacy, reduced self-stigma, reduced negative beliefs on mental health, and increased help-seeking) at posttest. However, the results were sustained at 3-month follow-up only for the depression literacy, mental help-seeking attitude, and self-stigma of seeking help variables when compared with the control group. The findings highlight the need to improve the program to enhance the effectiveness and sustainability of the outcomes.
Developing Courageous Research Ideas
Authors: Kock Florian , Assaf A. George , Tsionas Mike G.
Published: February 2020

This article advocates for originality in tourism research and the quest on how to achieve it.
A Typology of Lifetime Criminal Justice Involvement Among Homeless Individuals With Mental Illness: Identifying Needs to Better Target Intervention
Authors: Lemieux Ashley J. , Leclair Marichelle C. , Roy Laurence , Nicholls Tonia L. , Crocker Anne G.
Published: February 2020

This study aimed to characterize lifetime criminal involvement among homeless people with mental illness in Canada ( N = 1,682). A latent profile analysis yielded five classes. Most participants fell within the Fewer Needs (75.5%) group, characterized by less complex psychosocial histories and few criminal charges. Participants with Extensive Criminogenic Needs (5.0%) and Acute and Extensive Criminogenic Needs (5.0%) had more charges for justice administration, violent, and mischief/public order offenses and were more likely to have been charged before their first homelessness episode. Participants with Needs Associated with Homelessness (10.6%) and Needs Associated with Drugs (3.8%) were similar, although the former had the longest history of homelessness and the latter had more drug-related charges and were most likely to have drug use disorder. This typology, which sheds light on the cumulative needs associated with different patterns of lifetime criminal involvement among homeless people with mental illness, could guide prevention initiatives and intervention strategies.
Communicating Imperatives Requires Psychological Closeness But Creates Psychological Distance
Authors: Markowitz David M. , Slovic Paul
Published: February 2020

This article evaluates the psychological correlates of imperative speech through pronouns. We demonstrate that people communicate with more collective immediacy (“we” words) when using imperatives than nonimperatives in an experiment (Study 1, N = 828) and field studies of American politicians (Study 2a: N = 123,678 speeches), and Joseph Stalin (Study 2b: N = 593 speeches). However, respondents experience a psychological distancing effect after an imperative (fewer “I” words). This experimental pattern (Study 3: N = 852) also holds in the field using U.S. Supreme Court dissents from the Roberts Court (Study 4: N = 644). Exploratory findings suggest that third-person plural pronouns (“they” words) are used more when communicating imperative speech relative to nonimperative speech. Our evidence supports an interpersonal imperatives asymmetry: imperatives demand psychological support when communicating how the world must be, but they undermine the autonomy of respondents. Social and psychological implications of these data are discussed.
A Qualitative Study of Intimate Partner Violence and Employment Instability
Authors: Showalter Kathryn , McCloskey Rebecca J.
Published: February 2020

Maintaining employment while suffering from intimate partner violence (IPV) is extremely difficult given the direct and indirect ways abusers disrupt work. The current qualitative study seeks to strategically fill a gap in knowledge regarding survivors’ employment instability and gain insight toward creating more supportive workplaces for survivors. Women ( N = 19) receiving services for IPV at a Midwest U.S. agency were interviewed about their experiences of employment instability, workplace disruptions (including via technology), and their perceptions of policies and practices that employers use to support employees experiencing abuse. Specifically, the study asks four research questions to address gaps in literature: (a) What are the employment instability experiences of survivors related to IPV, including attendance, hours, and job loss? (b) What are survivors’ experiences of workplace disruptions, including with technology? (c) What formal employer policies and practices related to IPV are survivors familiar with? and (d) What workplace supports do IPV survivors perceive to be helpful or harmful? Findings uniquely contribute to existing literature by revealing employment instability among mothers, highlighting the use of technology to disrupt survivors’ work, and determining existing policies and procedures that workplaces use to address IPV. Implications for advocates working with survivors as well as employer and state policymakers are discussed.
Does Progressive Finance Alter School Organizations and Raise Achievement? The Case of Los Angeles
Authors: Lee Joon-Ho , Fuller Bruce
Published: February 2020

State finance reforms have raised per-pupil spending and elevated the achievement of disadvantaged students over the past half-century. But we know little about how fresh funding may alter teacher staffing or the social and curricular organization of schools, mediating gains in learning. We find that US$1.1 billion in new yearly funding—arriving to Los Angeles high schools after California enacted a progressive weighted-pupil formula in 2013—led schools to rely more on novice and probationary teachers. Schools that enjoyed greater funding modestly reduced average class size and the count of teaching periods assigned to staff in five subsequent years. Yet, high-poverty schools receiving higher budget augmentations more often assigned novice teachers to English learners (ELs) and hosted declining shares of courses that qualified graduates for college admission. Mean achievement climbed overall, but EL and poor students fell further behind in schools receiving greater funding.
Surgical Patients’ Perception of Spirituality on the Outcome of Surgery in Northern Ghana
Authors: Adugbire Bernard Atinyagrika , Aziato Lydia
Published: February 2020

Purpose: To explore surgical patients’ perception of spirituality on the outcome of surgeries in the northern part of Ghana. Methods: A qualitative explorative descriptive design was adopted for the study. A purposive sampling technique was used to recruit participants. Data were saturated with 15 participants aged between 23 and 65 years. All the interviews were audiotaped and transcribed verbatim. Data analysis was done using the processes of content analysis. Findings: Many participants felt that surgery was a threat to their lives, or felt that they may lose some parts of their body. Participants perceived spirituality (faith) to be a major contributor to their successful surgeries. Participants believed that God’s intervention had led to successful surgery outcomes for their surgeries. However, just a few of the participants stressed that they believed in the competencies of the various health professionals (doctors and nurses) for their successful surgeries. Conclusions: The study showed that surgical patients perceived threat, harm, or loss when they had to undergo surgery. Participants’ perceived that a successful surgical outcome will depend on divine intervention from their religious faith. Hence, nurses must observe patients’ spirituality and respect them during nursing care.