bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Sanctioning the Homeland: Diasporas’ Influence on American Economic Sanctions Policy
Authors: Kustra Tyler
Published: November 2021

Why do some immigrant groups succeed in influencing the U.S. government to impose economic sanctions on their former dictators, while others do not? This paper begins by noting that the president is the pivotal player in sanctions policy and that presidents cater to voters in swing states. Therefore, a diaspora’s proportion of the swing-state electorate should determine whether the American government imposes sanctions on their former homeland. Considering dictatorships from 1946 to 2005, this paper finds that a one-percentage-point increase in the diaspora’s proportion of the swing-state electorate increases the probability of regime-change sanctions by 11 percentage points. It then calculates causal estimates of the effectiveness of these sanctions on regime change. Using the diaspora’s proportion of the swing-state electorate as an instrumental variable for the presence of economic sanctions, it finds that sanctions do not have a positive, statistically-significant impact on regime change while a negative impact is plausible.
Examining the Effects of Integrating Anxiety Management Instruction Within a Reading Intervention for Upper Elementary Students With Reading Difficulties
Authors: Vaughn Sharon , Grills Amie E. , Capin Philip , Roberts Greg , Fall Anna-Mária , Daniel Johny
Published: November 2021

We present findings from the first cohort of third- and fourth-grade students with reading difficulties (128 students from 31 classrooms) who participated in a 2-year intervention examining the effects of a reading intervention with and without anxiety management. Using a randomized controlled trial, students were assigned to one of three conditions: (a) small-group reading intervention with anxiety management instruction (RANX), (b) small-group reading intervention with math fact practice (RMATH), and (c) business-as-usual (BAU) comparison condition (no researcher provided treatment). Personnel from the research team provided participants in the RANX and RMATH the same reading intervention with the variation in the two treatments being whether the same amount of time per lesson was allocated to anxiety management (RANX) or practicing math facts (RMATH). Students in the RANX significantly outperformed students in the BAU on reading comprehension (effect size [ES] = 1.22) and students in the RMATH outperformed BAU on reading comprehension (ES = 0.77). Groups did not differ significantly on other reading outcomes. Reading anxiety moderated the main effect of the RANX intervention on the Test of Word Reading Efficiency (TOWRE) word reading when contrasted against the BAU group, indicating a significant difference favoring RANX where treatment’s effect decreased by 0.94 units (about 1 point on the outcome) on word reading for each additional point increase in reading anxiety.
When the Honeymoon Is Over: A Theory of Relationship Liabilities and Evolutionary Processes
Authors: Chmielewski-Raimondo Danielle A. , Shamsollahi Ali , Bell Simon J. , Heide Jan B.
Published: November 2021

The authors draw on the sociological theories of the “liability of newness” and the “liability of adolescence” to generate new insights into relationship evolution. First, they show how a new relationship in its “honeymoon” phase exhibits a unique constellation of two conditions, namely information asymmetry and forbearance. Next, they explain how a relationship evolves along two processes that involve passive learning and decay, respectively. In themselves, these processes will move a relationship toward a long-term “transactional” state and possibly termination, but the processes can also be actively shaped using various governance mechanisms. Doing so, however, requires a nuanced account of types of governance mechanisms and the particular conditions they are intended to induce. The authors consider how the general mechanisms of (1) incentives and (2) information sharing can be deployed in standardized or customized fashions, respectively. Next, they suggest how different manifestation of governance mechanisms impact a relationship's underlying evolutionary processes and evolved relationship states. In general, their framework represents a new perspective on relationship evolution—one that involves the purposeful management of initial conditions and their related evolutionary processes.
Demand Interactions in Sharing Economies: Evidence from a Natural Experiment Involving Airbnb and Uber/Lyft
Authors: Zhang Shunyuan , Lee Dokyun , Singh Param , Mukhopadhyay Tridas
Published: November 2021

The authors examine whether and how ride-sharing services influence the demand for home-sharing services. Their identification strategy hinges on a natural experiment in which Uber/Lyft exited Austin, Texas, in May 2016 due to local regulation. Using a 12-month longitudinal data set of 11,536 Airbnb properties, they find that Uber/Lyft's exit led to a 14% decrease in Airbnb occupancy in Austin. In response, hosts decreased the nightly rate by $9.30 and the supply by 4.5%. The authors argue that when Uber/Lyft exited Austin, the transportation costs for most Airbnb guests increased significantly because most Airbnb properties (unlike hotels) have poor access to public transportation. The authors report three key findings: First, demand became less geographically dispersed, falling (increasing) for Airbnb properties with poor (excellent) access to public transportation. Second, demand decreased significantly for low-end properties, whose guests may be more price sensitive, but not for high-end properties. Third, the occupancy of Austin hotels increased after Uber/Lyft's exit; the increase occurred primarily among low-end hotels, which can substitute for low-end Airbnb properties. The results indicate that access to affordable, convenient transportation is critical for the success of home-sharing services in residential areas. Regulations that negatively affect ride-sharing services may also negatively affect the demand for home-sharing services.
Designing for Framing in Online Teacher Education: Supporting Teachers’ Attending to Student Thinking in Video Discussions of Classroom Engineering
Authors: Watkins Jessica , Portsmore Merredith
Published: November 2021

Participating in discussions of classroom video can support teachers to attend to student thinking. Central to the success of these discussions is how teachers interpret the activity they are engaged in—how teachers frame what they are doing. In asynchronous online environments, negotiating framing poses challenges, given that interactions are not in real time and often require written text. We present findings from an online course designed to support teachers to frame video discussions as making sense of student thinking. In an engineering pedagogy course designed to emphasize responsiveness to students’ thinking, we documented shifts in teachers’ framing, with teachers more frequently making sense of, rather than evaluating, student thinking later in the course. These findings show that it is possible to design an asynchronous online course to productively engage teachers in video discussions and inform theory development in online teacher education.
How Do Prompts Shape Preservice Teachers’ Reflections? A Case Study in an Online Technology Integration Class
Authors: Jung Jiyoon , Lu Ya-Huei , Ding Ai-Chu Elisha
Published: November 2021

To investigate how prompts shape preservice teachers’ reflections, we examined, in this exploratory case study, the written reflections responding to three types of prompts (standard-based, concept-based, and task-based) of 21 preservice teachers in an online technology integration class. We analyzed these reflections at the sentence level (total 1,503 comments), both quantitatively and qualitatively, using a framework comprising descriptive, rationalistic, and anticipatory dimensions to understand the compositions of reflections generated from each type of prompt and the kinds of teacher abilities demonstrated in each dimension. We found quantitative patterns between prompt types and the reflections generated and emergent themes in each dimension of reflection relating to teacher abilities. We conclude by discussing three prompt design features that appeared to have played an important role in shaping the reflections and suggesting implications and future research directions.
Strategies in conveying information about unshared events using aided communication
Authors: Neuvonen Kirsi A. , Launonen Kaisa , Smith Martine M. , Stadskleiv Kristine , von Tetzchner Stephen
Published: November 2021

Describing events may be challenging for any child, but children who use communication aids may face unique linguistic, pragmatic, and strategic challenges in conveying information with the communication means they have available. This study explores strategies used by young, aided communicators when describing the content of a video unknown to their communication partners. The participants of the study were 48 aided communicators (aged 5;3–15;2) from nine countries and seven language groups and their communication partners (parents, professionals, and peers) who used natural speech. Descriptive and statistical analyses were utilized to investigate the relationships between individual characteristics, linguistic and non-linguistic factors, linguistic strategies, and performance in conveying the content of the video event. Analyses of the 48 videotaped interactions revealed the use of a variety of linguistic elements and multimodal strategies, demonstrating both creativity and challenges. Success in relaying messages was significantly related to age, mode of communication, and individual profiles, such as everyday communication functioning and comprehension of grammar. Measures of receptive vocabulary and non-verbal reasoning were not significantly related to communicative success. The use of shared context and negotiation of meaning of potentially ambiguous utterances demonstrate the shared responsibility of disambiguation and meaning construction in interactions involving aided and naturally speaking communicators.
Accountability in Collaborative Federal Programs—Multidimensional and Multilevel Performance Measures Needed: The Case of Wildland Fire Prevention
Authors: Wise Charles R.
Published: November 2021

Collaborative programs among Federal agencies, state and local agencies, and private sector organizations are often prescribed to address difficult interdisciplinary and intersectoral problems. Accountability for these efforts is difficult to achieve and has frequently proved elusive. This research explores the nature of the accountability dilemma in collaborative programs and analyzes and illustrates them in the context of wildland fire prevention in the United States. It suggests a multilevel–multimeasurement approach is key to achieving a fuller picture of accountability in collaborative networks.
The Impact of Cutbacks From a Major State Financial Crisis on Organizational Trust
Authors: Zanini Marco Tulio , Migueles Carmen , Carvalho Juliana
Published: November 2021

Previous research has shown that cutbacks in public spending often impact the range and quality of the public services delivered, leading to negative behaviors on the part of public servants. This article examines how sudden cutbacks caused by a major state financial crisis have an impact on interpersonal trust within a special police unit. We present the results of a longitudinal case study using a combination of qualitative methods. The lack of foreseeability and reliability caused by drastic changes resulting from cutbacks has a negative effect on members’ trust in their capacity to perform.
The relationship between music performance anxiety and self-efficacy in sixth- to eighth-grade instrumental students
Authors: Bersh Brian
Published: November 2021

The purpose of this nonexperimental, quantitative study was to test social cognitive theory as it relates self-efficacy to anxiety. Music performance anxiety (MPA) and music performance self-efficacy (MPSE) were tested within a stratified random sample of Grades 6–8 instrumental music students ( N = 228) enrolled in middle schools located within the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. To determine levels of MPA and MPSE, participants completed the Music Performance Anxiety Inventory for Adolescents (MPAI-A) and the Music Performance Self-Efficacy Scale (MPSES). A correlational research design was used to test both the strength of the relationship between MPA and MPSE and the extent to which MPA could be predicted by two sources of self-efficacy: mastery experience and verbal/social persuasion. Results revealed a statistically significant, weak negative correlation between MPA and MPSE and a significant predictive relationship between MPA scores and the linear combination of mastery experience and verbal/social persuasion. Recommendations for future research include an investigation into the following: (a) the relationships between verbal/social persuasion and MPA among middle school-aged students, (b) strategies for teaching self-efficacy as a coping mechanism for MPA, and (c) how the relationship between MPA and MPSE is affected by proximity to performance.
The Strange Journey of the Tributary System
Authors: Wang Yuan-kang
Published: November 2021

Scholars of international relations have embraced the tributary system as the dominant lens to studying historical orders of East Asia. Hendrik Spruyt’s The World Imagined, a rare gem in the study of comparative international orders, argues that the tributary system articulated the ontology of the historical East Asia international society. This article cautions against two common pitfalls. First, the tributary system is a modern conceptual construct that can blind researchers to other types of political orders existing throughout East Asia’s diverse landscape and history, thus contributing to a Sinocentric bias. Both the Mongols and the Tibetans adopted a distinctive set of rules of inter-polity conduct that have little to do with the Chinese tributary system. Second, the tributary system perpetuates the myth that East Asia has been historically peaceful, while glossing over the numerous interpolity warfare that took place in the region as well as internal conflicts within the same cultural sphere of a state. I argue that our understanding of international orders can be substantially enriched when we take material power seriously and study its interplay with ideational factors.
Internal Fixation of Lateral Trochlear Groove Osteochondritis Dissecans With Simultaneous Lateral Retinacular Lengthening in Adolescent Athletes
Authors: Lee Dhong Won , Lee Joon Kyu , Cho Young Chang , Yang Sang Jin , Cho Seung Ik , Kim Jin Goo
Published: November 2021

Background:

The goals of operative treatment for the adolescent athlete with unstable osteochondritis dissecans (OCD) lesion are rigid fixation and prevention of recurrence.

Purpose:

To evaluate clinical and radiological outcomes of internal fixation of lateral trochlear groove OCD with simultaneous lateral retinacular lengthening.

Study Design:

Case series; Level of evidence, 4.

Methods:

Adolescent athletes who had undergone internal fixation and simultaneous lateral retinacular lengthening for an unstable OCD lesion of the lateral trochlear groove were retrospectively reviewed. Subjective assessments included the Lysholm score, International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) subjective score, Tegner activity scale, and an athletic questionnaire. Functional tests included isokinetic muscle strength, single-leg hop for distance, single-leg vertical jump, and Y-balance. Pre- and postoperative radiographs and magnetic resonance images were reviewed.

Results:

The mean ± SD age of the 17 patients included in this study was 15.9 ± 0.9 years; last clinical follow-up duration was 37.7 ± 8.1 months. At the last follow-up, the Lysholm score improved from 68.7 ± 15.3 to 93.4 ± 12.4 and the IKDC subjective score from 60.2 ± 14.7 to 88.7 ± 12.7 ( P < .001). The mean Tegner activity scale score was 9.4 ± 0.5 before injury and 8.9 ± 1.2 at the last follow-up ( P = .059). The limb symmetry indices of isokinetic muscle strength, single-leg hop for distance, single-leg vertical jump, and Y-balance improved at the last follow-up; the mean limb symmetry index was ≥85% in each functional test. Regarding the athletic questionnaire, 16 (94.1%) patients were satisfied with the surgery. At the last follow-up, 2 patients had higher ability after returning to sports, 11 had the same ability, and 3 had lower ability than the preinjury level. Postoperative magnetic resonance imaging at 12-month follow-up showed that the OCD lesion appeared healed in 7 (41.2%) patients and partially healed in 9 (52.9%).

Conclusion:

Internal fixation of lateral trochlear groove OCD with simultaneous lateral retinacular lengthening in adolescent athletes achieved satisfactory clinical and radiological outcomes. Therefore, this combined surgical technique could be considered an effective treatment for lateral trochlear groove OCD, with a high rate of return to sport.
Parent Perceptions in Choosing Treatment for Infants With Spinal Muscular Atrophy Diagnosed Through Newborn Screening
Authors: Deng Stella , Lee Bo Hoon , Ciafaloni Emma
Published: November 2021

Objective:

To identify factors parents considered in treatment decision making for children diagnosed with spinal muscular atrophy on newborn screening.

Methods:

Participants were recruited through the University of Rochester or through flyers and Cure SMA social media outreach and asked to complete a telephone or online survey. Data were analyzed through mixed methods using descriptive statistics and theme identification in narrative responses.

Results:

Eighteen parents with children diagnosed with spinal muscular atrophy on newborn screening participated. Thirteen of 18 chose onasemnogene abeparvovec, 2 of 18 chose risdiplam, 1 of 18 chose nusinersen, and 2 of 18 did not receive treatment. The most commonly reported factors impacting treatment choice included treatment frequency and administration method. Seventeen (94.4%) parents felt that inclusion of spinal muscular atrophy on newborn screening was positive because it could allow for better outcomes with earlier treatment.

Conclusion:

Treatment frequency and administration method were the most important factors for parents in determining spinal muscular atrophy treatment. Parents felt positively about newborn screening due to opportunity for earlier treatment.
Research on comfortable driving posture of car drivers based on muscle biomechanics
Authors: Li Mingyue , Gao Zhenhai , Gao Fei , Zhang Tianyao
Published: November 2021

This paper aims to solve the problem of optimal design on a comfortable human-machine arrangement of car drivers with different physical signs under dynamic manipulation. Based on the biomechanical characteristic of human skeletal muscle and Hill muscle mechanics model, this paper constructs the human seat musculoskeletal model of 5th, 50th, and 95th percentile physical signs of Chinese car drivers under dynamic manipulation. The six-degree-of-freedom flexible test bench was set up and the center composite method was used to optimize the number of experiments. The consistency and relevance analysis of the actual measurement and dynamic manipulation simulation was carried out to comprehensively analyze the human-machine arrangement parameters such as vehicle seat, pedal, and steering wheel, so as to realize the optimization design of the hard point size of comfortable driving posture and verify the rationality and applicability of the test results through the vehicle road test.
Homotopy perturbation method solution of magneto-polymer nanofluid containing gyrotactic microorganisms over the permeable sheet with Cattaneo–Christov heat and mass flux model
Authors: Jakeer Shaik , Polu Bala Anki Reddy
Published: November 2021

Many non-Newtonian materials behave as a polymeric solution and this type of materials is used in various industrial and physical applications such as polymer extraction, manufacturing processes, various geophysical systems, and glass production. Especially the gyrotactic microorganisms have widely used for the production of biodiesel, hydrogen, an essential sustainable energy source and in water treatment plants. This study intends to examine the impacts of magnetic field, convective boundary state on bioconvection of a tangent hyperbolic nanofluid in the presence of gyrotactic microorganisms over a porous stretching surface with a Cattaneo–Christov heat and mass flux model. Appropriate self-similarity variables are implemented to transform the fluid transport equations into ordinary differential equations that have been resolved using the homotopy perturbation method. The influences of effective parameters on transport properties of the fluid are represented with graphs and tables. This model forecast the shear-thinning attitude significantly and exactly describes the flow of fluids. It is noted from the obtained results that the velocity profile declines with raising the Weissenberg number and buoyancy ratio parameter. It also observed that the temperature profile rises with a growth in the radiation and thermal relaxation parameters. The higher values of the stagnation parameter increase the rate of heat transfer while it is opposite nature in the mixed convection parameter. Microorganisms density uplifts with an increase in Peclet number, while it decreases for the microorganism concentration difference. Microorganisms density increases with an enlargement in bioconvection Schmidt number.
Measurement of carbonization region on leather cutting in CO2 and diode laser-based laser beam process
Authors: Vasanth S. , Muthuramalingam T.
Published: November 2021

There is a quite wide range of animal leathers such as cow leather, sheep leather and buffalo leather used for leather garments and leather goods such as bags, wallets and other customized leather articles. The drawbacks of manual cutting can be eliminated by laser-based cutting. However, unwanted carbonization is happened owing to the higher thermal influence. There is no standard procedure or method available to measure the carbonization region on leather cutting. Diode lasers can process leather rapidly and efficiently. In the present work, an attempt was proposed to introduce the image processing-based measurement approach in leather cutting using CO2 laser and diode laser. The cutting experiments were performed on sheep leather with a thickness of 1 mm. It was found that the proposed can effectively measure the heat-affected zone (HAZ) of leather cutting. It has also been found that diode laser could produce lower HAZ than CO2 laser on leather cutting.
Clustering functional data using forward search based on functional spatial ranks with medical applications
Authors: Baragilly Mohammed , Gabr Hend , Willis Brian H
Published: November 2021

Cluster analysis of functional data is finding increasing application in the field of medical research and statistics. Here we introduce a functional version of the forward search methodology for the purpose of functional data clustering. The proposed forward search algorithm is based on the functional spatial ranks and is a data-driven non-parametric method. It does not require any preprocessing functional data steps, nor does it require any dimension reduction before clustering. The Forward Search Based on Functional Spatial Rank (FSFSR) algorithm identifies the number of clusters in the curves and provides the basis for the accurate assignment of each curve to its cluster. We apply it to three simulated datasets and two real medical datasets, and compare it with six other standard methods. Based on both simulated and real data, the FSFSR algorithm identifies the correct number of clusters. Furthermore, when compared with six standard methods used for clustering and classification, it records the lowest misclassification rate. We conclude that the FSFSR algorithm has the potential to cluster and classify functional data.
The process of moral distress development: A virtue ethics perspective
Authors: Caram Carolina S , Peter Elizabeth , Ramos Flávia RS , Brito Maria JM
Published: November 2021

This theoretical paper proposes a new perspective to understand the moral distress of nurses more fully, using virtue ethics. Moral distress is a widely studied subject, especially with respect to the determination of its causes and manifestations. Increasing the theoretical depth of previous work using ethical theory, however, can create new possibilities for moral distress to be explored and analyzed. Drawing on more recent work in this field, we explicate the conceptual framework of the process of moral distress in nurses, proposed by Ramos et al., using MacIntyrean virtue ethics. Our analysis considers the experience of moral distress in the context of a practice, enabling the adaptation of this framework using virtue ethics. The adoption of virtue ethics as an ethical perspective broadens the understanding of the complexity of nurses’ experiences of moral distress, since it is impossible to create a ready model that can cover all possibilities. Specifically, we describe how identity, social context, beliefs, and tradition shape moral discomfort, uncertainty, and sensitivity and how virtues inform moral judgments. Individuals, such as nurses, who are involved in a practice have a narrative history and a purpose ( telos) that guide them in every step of the process, especially in moral judgment. It is worth emphasizing that the process described is supported by the formation of moral competence that, if blocked, can lead to moral distress and deprofessionalization. It is expected that nurses seek to achieve the internal good of their practice, which legitimizes their professional practice and supports them in moral decision-making, preventing moral distress.
“Do you find it normal to be so fat?” Weight stigma in obese gym users
Authors: Argüelles David , Pérez-Samaniego Víctor , López-Cañada Elena
Published: November 2021

Weight stigma is a negative social process that involves discrimination against overweight and obese people. Gyms are important environments to promote exercise where weight stigma can be a hindrance for obese exercise practitioners. This critical-oriented study provides evidence-based answers to this question: How do obese users experience weight stigma in gyms? Six obese gym users (BMI >30) participated in semi-structured interviews and provided visual data for photo-elicitation. A thematic analysis enabled the grouping of their experiences around weight stigma into three forms of discrimination: 1) direct: negative comments about body weight and body size; 2) indirect: internalization of negative stereotypes on weight, ability or appearance; 3) structural: explicit or symbolic rejection related with weight-centric exercise, equipment and recommendations implicit in marketing and advertising. The results provide evidence and interpretations of different forms of discrimination and inequality that operate in gyms, and how they affect obese users’ experiences. Based on these results, we compile a list of measures to prevent weight stigma and recommendations for exercise professionals to relate with obese users.
A Mentoring Network for Novice and Experienced Music Teachers: Concept, Design, Outcomes, and Recommendations
Authors: Weimer Kristina R. , Albert Daniel J.
Published: November 2021

Two university music education faculty aimed to expand mentoring beyond a one-to-one relationship to a more collaborative approach by creating a year-long online mentoring network of experienced and novice music educators. The purpose of this article is to describe the network’s structure and content, and discuss outcomes and recommendations based on participating teachers’ perspectives and experiences. Network materials promoted discussion and reflection on various music teaching and learning topics; the sharing of strategies, ideas, and resources; and mutual support and encouragement. Participants discussed topics with direct application for their classes and shared rewarding teaching moments, student successes, positive assessment outcomes, and struggles with fatigue and lack of student engagement. They stated the network provided a supportive space that facilitated connection and reflection, empathetic feedback, and teaching strategy and resource suggestions. Recommendations included more active opportunities to engage with and build relationships with each other, synchronous activities via videoconferencing platforms, and more facilitator participation.
School Nurses’ Reports on Reopening Roles, Practices, and Concerns During the COVID-19 Pandemic at the Start of the 2020–2021 School Year
Authors: Gormley Jenny M. , Poirier Vanessa , Hassey Kathleen A. , Van Pelt Maria , Ye Lichuan
Published: November 2021

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused major disruptions to U.S. school systems since March 2020. To facilitate our understanding of how school nurses participated in school reopening and what support school nurses needed beginning the 2020–2021 school year during the COVID-19 pandemic, we conducted a national survey in late summer 2020. A sample of 747 school nurses from 43 states responded to an online survey about roles, practices, and concerns. Over one-third (36.9%) reported not being included in school reopening planning. Mitigation practices reported by respondents primarily included measuring temperatures of students before school (21.3%), mask wearing by students (79.9%), and 6 feet social distancing (76.7%). The respondents’ greatest concerns were the educational impact on students with individualized education plans, parents sending children to school with COVID-19 symptoms, and the economic impact on families. Our results point to opportunities for greater school nurse involvement, improvements in practices, and measures to address school nurses’ concerns.
Anti-TNF-alpha-induced lupus in patients with non-infectious uveitis
Authors: Miguel-Escuder Lucia , Garcia Tirado Amanda , Sainz-de-la-Maza María , Espinosa Gerard , Moll-Udina Aina , Llorenç Víctor , Parrado-Carrillo Alba , Adán Alfredo
Published: November 2021

Purpose

Anti-TNF-α-induced lupus (ATIL) is a rare condition considered as a drug-induced lupus (DIL) in patients under anti-TNF-α therapies. Nowadays it is still unclear if ATIL is a classical DIL or represent a distinct syndrome. Some characteristics of DIL have been described specifically associated with patients with lupus-like syndrome receiving anti-TNF-α therapy: the severity of the disease, incidence/prevalence of dsDNA antibodies (anti-dsDNA) and hypocomplementaemia. The objective of this study is to describe the development of ATIL in patients with non-infectious uveitis in a single tertiary center.

Methods

Retrospective description of a case series.

Results

We describe three patients with noninfectious uveitis (NIU) of different etiologies who developed antinuclear antibody (ANA) and anti-dsDNA antibody positivity, arthritis and, in one case, skin lesions under adalimumab treatment. The condition resolved in all of them after adalimumab withdrawal. Corticosteroids were required in one patient, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in two patients, and hydroxychloroquine in one of them. None required another immunosuppressive drug. A subsequent control of the NIU could continue to be carried out without anti-TNF-α therapy in two patients and in the remaining a switch was made to another anti-TNF-α (golimumab).

Conclusion

The current report describes three cases of ATIL in patients with different types of NIU which share some common features: ANA positivity, articular symptoms, and a temporal relationship between symptoms onset and anti-TNF-α treatment. A review of the literature and comparison with the few previous reported ATIL cases was conducted as well.
Marine pollution in Bangladesh-framing legal responses: A critical study
Authors: Hossain Md. Milan , Mamun S. M. Shahidullah
Published: November 2021

Marine life in the Bay of Bengal (BoB) region is under serious threat due to extreme ocean pollution and its impact. In Bangladesh, due to lack of environmental law in general and marine pollution law in particular, the seas and inland waterways are being rapidly polluted; the glory of BoB has already diminished and it is estimated that it will depreciate further in future from different sorts of marine pollution. In this context, our study has been conducted to examine national laws and regulations for the prevention of marine pollution in Bangladesh, and to establish their extent and effectiveness. Our inquiry has revealed that not all sorts of marine pollution are addressed by the existing laws of the country and effective measures are yet to be taken, although there are obligations to do so under constitutional and international law to ensure the well-being of marine life.
Mechanical properties of aluminum bonded joints reinforced with functionalized boron nitride and boron carbide nanoparticles
Authors: Gültekin Kürşat , Yazici Mustafa Enes
Published: November 2021

In the presented study, the effect of hexagonal boron nitride and hexagonal boron carbide nanoparticles on the strength of adhesively bonded joints was investigated experimentally. Hexagonal boron nitride nanoparticles were functionalized using 3-(aminopropyl) triethoxysilane to improve adhesion and increase the interaction between epoxy and nanoparticles. Similarly, h-B4C nanoparticles were functionalized by using 3-(glycidyloxypropyl) trimethoxysilane. New structural nano adhesives were produced by reinforcing the functionalized nanoparticles into epoxy at different proportions (0.5 wt.%, 1.0 wt.%, 2 wt.%, 3.0 wt.%, 4.0 wt.%, and 5.0 wt.%). Two different epoxies with different viscosity values (MGS-LR285 and Araldite 2011) were used as adhesives, and aluminum alloy (AA2024-T3) was chosen as an adherend. Tensile test was carried out to determine the failure load of the adhesive joints, and the fracture surface morphology was examined after the test Additionally, Scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersion X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDS) analysis was performed to observe the distribution of boron nanoparticles in the adhesives. The experimental results showed that the reinforcement of hexagonal boron nitride and boron carbide nanoparticles to the adhesives increased the joint strength substantially depending on the reinforcement ratio and viscosity of the adhesives. The maximum increase in failure loads was achieved by adding 1 wt.% functionalized boron nitride to high viscosity Araldite 2011 adhesive and 2 wt.% to low viscosity MGS-LR285 adhesive, and the ratio of increase in failure loads is 31% and 63%, respectively. Moreover, by adding 2 wt.% functionalized boron carbide nanoparticles to the Araldite 2011 and MGS-LR285 adhesives, the strength of the joints increased by about 27% and 70%, respectively.
Open health data: Mapping the ecosystem
Authors: Heijlen Roel , Crompvoets Joep
Published: November 2021

Background

Governments around the world own multiple datasets related to the policy domain of health. Datasets range from vaccination rates to the availability of health care practitioners in a region to the outcomes of certain surgeries. Health is believed to be a promising subject in the case of open government data policies. However, the specific properties of health data such as its sensibilities regarding privacy, ethics, and ownership encompass particular conditions either enabling or preventing datasets to become freely and easily accessible for everyone.

Objective and methods

This paper aims to map the ecosystem of open health data. By analyzing the foundations of health data and the commonalities of open data ecosystems via literature analysis, the socio-technical environment in which health data managed by governments are opened up or potentially stay closed is created. After its theoretical development, the open health data ecosystem is tested via a case study concerning the Data for Better Health initiative from the government of Belgium.

Results

Creation and assessment of an open health data ecosystem consisting of stakeholders, interests, information policies, and data preparation activities.

Conclusions

The policy domain of health includes de-identification activities, bioethical assessments, and the specific role of data providers within its open data ecosystem. However, the concept of open data does not always fully apply to the topic of health. Such several health datasets may be findable via government portals but not directly accessible. Differentiation within types of health data and data user capacities are recommendable for future research.
A novel technique of isolated gastrocnemius recession: A cadaveric comparison with Strayer procedure
Authors: Kow Ren Yi , Che-Ahmad Aminudin , Ayeop Mohd Adham Shah , Ahmad Muhammad Wafiuddin , Yusof Shahril
Published: November 2021

Background

Strayer’s gastrocnemius recession is a common technique in treating ankle equinus of gastrocnemius origin. Nevertheless, this technique is associated with a few flaws. We aim to introduce a novel technique of isolated gastrocnemius recession and perform a cadaveric study to evaluate its safety and at the same time compare this novel technique with the existing Strayer procedure biomechanically.

Methods

Eight fresh cadaveric models of gastrocnemius tightness were established by isolated traction of the gastrocnemius muscles. Gastrocnemius recession was performed on all eight models with Strayer method and the novel method randomized equally. The safety of both the techniques was evaluated by identifying any iatrogenic injury to the surrounding structures. The lengthening and improvement of the ankle dorsiflexion was measured and compared between the two techniques.

Results

There was no iatrogenic sural nerve or saphenous vein injury in all eight models. There was no significant difference between the two techniques in terms of lengthening (24.25 mm vs 21.00 mm; p = 0.838) and improvement of ankle dorsiflexion (26.5° vs 26°; p = .829).

Conclusions

Both Strayer technique and the novel technique of gastrocnemius recession lengthened the gastrocnemius and improved the ankle dorsiflexion in this cadaver trial. Both procedures were safe with proper techniques, and there was no significant difference in efficacy between them.

Level of Evidence

Level II, randomized controlled trial.
Ultrasonographic Measurement of Elbow Varus Laxity With a Sequential Injury Model of the Lateral Collateral Ligament–Capsular Complex
Authors: Kwak Jae-Man , Rotman Dani , Lievano Jorge Rojas , Fitzsimmons James S. , O’Driscoll Shawn W.
Published: November 2021

Background:

There is no consensus how to determine the varus laxity due to the LCL injury using the ultrasonography. There is a risk of lateral collateral ligament injury during or after arthroscopic extensor carpi radialis brevis release for tennis elbow. The equator of the radial head has been suggested as a landmark for the safe zone to not increase this risk; however, the safe zone from the intra-articular space has not been established.

Hypothesis:

Increased elbow varus laxity due to lateral collateral ligament–capsular complex (LCL-cc) injury could be assessed reliably via ultrasound.

Study Design:

Descriptive laboratory study.

Methods:

Eight cadaveric elbows were evaluated using a custom-made machine allowing passive elbow flexion under gravity varus stress. The radiocapitellar joint (RCJ) space was measured via ultrasound at 30° and 90° of flexion during 4 stages: intact elbow (stage 0), release of the anterior one-third of the LCL-cc (stage 1), release of the anterior two-thirds (stage 2), and release of the entire LCL-cc (stage 3). Two observers conducted the measurements separately, and the mean RCJ space in the 3 LCL-cc injury models (stages 1-3) at both flexion angles was compared with that of the intact elbow (stage 0). We also compared the measurements at 30° versus 90° of flexion.

Results:

At 30° of elbow flexion, the RCJ space increased 2 mm between stages 0 and 2 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1-3 mm; P < .01) and 4 mm between stages 0 and 3 (95% CI, 2-5 mm; P < .01). At 90° of elbow flexion, the RCJ space increased 1 mm between stages 0 and 2 (95% CI, 1-2 mm; P < .01) and 2 mm between stages 0 and 3 (95% CI, 2-3 mm; P < .01).

Conclusion:

Elbow varus laxity under gravity stress can be reliably assessed via ultrasound by measuring the RCJ space.

Clinical Relevance:

Because ultrasonographic measurement of the RCJ space can distinguish the increasing varus laxity seen with release of two-thirds or more of the LCL-cc, the anterior one-third of the LCL-cc, based on the diameter of the radial head, can be considered the safe zone in arthroscopic extensor carpi radialis brevis release for tennis elbow.
Prediction of antimicrobial peptides toxicity based on their physico-chemical properties using machine learning techniques
Authors: Khabbaz Hossein , Karimi-Jafari Mohammad Hossein , Saboury Ali Akbar , BabaAli Bagher
Published: November 2021

Background

Antimicrobial peptides are promising tools to fight against ever-growing antibiotic resistance. However, despite many advantages, their toxicity to mammalian cells is a critical obstacle in clinical application and needs to be addressed.

Results

In this study, by using an up-to-date dataset, a machine learning model has been trained successfully to predict the toxicity of antimicrobial peptides. The comprehensive set of features of both physico-chemical and linguistic-based with local and global essences have undergone feature selection to identify key properties behind toxicity of antimicrobial peptides. After feature selection, the hybrid model showed the best performance with a recall of 0. 876 and a F1 score of 0. 849.

Conclusions

The obtained model can be useful in extracting AMPs with low toxicity from AMP libraries in clinical applications. On the other hand, several properties with local nature including positions of strand forming and hydrophobic residues in final selected features show that these properties are critical definer of peptide properties and should be considered in developing models for activity prediction of peptides. The executable code is available at https://git.io/JRZaT.
Molecular phylogeny and phylogeography of the freshwater-fish genus Pethia (Teleostei: Cyprinidae) in Sri Lanka
Authors: Sudasinghe Hiranya , Ranasinghe Tharindu , Herath Jayampathi , Wijesooriya Kumudu , Pethiyagoda Rohan , Rüber Lukas , Meegaskumbura Madhava
Published: November 2021

Background

Sri Lanka is a continental island separated from India by the Palk Strait, a shallow-shelf sea, which was emergent during periods of lowered sea level. Its biodiversity is concentrated in its perhumid south-western ‘wet zone’. The island’s freshwater fishes are dominated by the Cyprinidae, characterized by small diversifications of species derived from dispersals from India. These include five diminutive, endemic species ofPethia(P. bandula,P. cumingii,P. melanomaculata,P. nigrofasciata,P. reval), whose evolutionary history remains poorly understood. Here, based on comprehensive geographic sampling, we explore the phylogeny, phylogeography and morphological diversity of the genus in Sri Lanka.

Results

The phylogenetic analyses, based on mitochondrial and nuclear loci, recover Sri LankanPethiaas polyphyletic. The reciprocal monophyly ofP. bandulaandP. nigrofasciata, andP. cumingiiandP. reval, is not supported.Pethia nigrofasciata,P. cumingii, andP. revalshow strong phylogeographic structure in the wet zone, compared withP. melanomaculata, which ranges across the dry and intermediate zones. Translocated populations ofP. nigrofasciataandP. revalin the Central Hills likely originate from multiple sources. Morphological analyses reveal populations ofP. nigrofasciataproximal toP. bandula, a narrow-range endemic, to have a mix of characters between the two species. Similarly, populations ofP. cumingiiin the Kalu basin possess orange fins, a state between the red-finnedP. revalfrom Kelani to Deduru and yellow-finnedP. cumingiifrom Bentara to Gin basins.

Conclusions

Polyphyly in Sri LankanPethiasuggests two or three colonizations from mainland India. Strong phylogeographic structure inP. nigrofasciata,P. cumingiiandP. reval, compared withP. melanomaculata, supports a model wherein the topographically complex wet zone harbors greater genetic diversity than the topographically uniform dry-zone. Mixed morphological characters betweenP. bandulaandP. nigrofasciata, andP. cumingiiandP. reval, and their unresolved phylogenies, may suggest recent speciation scenarios with incomplete lineage sorting, or hybridization.
Ectopic expression of TaBG1 increases seed size and alters nutritional characteristics of the grain in wheat but does not lead to increased yields
Authors: Milner Matthew J. , Bowden Sarah , Craze Melanie , Wallington Emma J.
Published: November 2021

Background

Grain size is thought to be a major component of yield in many plant species. Here we set out to understand if knowledge from other cereals such as rice could translate to increased yield gains in wheat and lead to increased nitrogen use efficiency. Previous findings that the overexpression of OsBG1 in rice increased yields while increasing seed size suggest translating gains from rice to other cereals may help to increase yields.

Results

The orthologous genes of OsBG1 were identified in wheat. One homoeologous wheat gene was cloned and overexpressed in wheat to understand its role in controlling seed size. Potential alteration in the nutritional profile of the grains were also analyzed in wheat overexpressing TaBG1. It was found that increased TaBG1-A expression could indeed lead to larger seed size but was linked to a reduction in seed number per plant leading to no significant overall increase in yield. Other important components of yield such as biomass or tillering did not change significantly with increased TaBG1-A expression. The nutritional profile of the grain was altered, with a significant decrease in the Zn levels in the grain associated with increased seed size, but Fe and Mn concentrations were unchanged. Protein content of the wheat grain also fell under moderate N fertilization levels but not under deficient or adequate levels of N.

Conclusions

TaBG1 does control seed size in wheat but increasing the seed size per se does not increase yield and may come at the cost of lower concentrations of essential elements as well as potentially lower protein content. Nevertheless, TaBG1 could be a useful target for further breeding efforts in combination with other genes for increased biomass.
Fasciculation differences between ALS and non-ALS patients: an ultrasound study
Authors: Liu Jingwen , Li Yi , Niu Jingwen , Zhang Lei , Fan Jing , Guan Yuzhou , Cui Liying , Liu Mingsheng
Published: November 2021

Background

Fasciculation is an important sign for the diagnosis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Our study aimed to analyze the difference in fasciculation detected with muscle ultrasonography (MUS) between ALS patients and non-ALS patients with symptoms resembling ALS.

Methods

Eighty-eight ALS patients and fifty-four non-ALS (eight multifocal motor neuropathy, 32 chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy/Charcot-Marie-Tooth, and 14 cervical spondylopathy or lumbar spondylopathy) patients were recruited. MUS was performed on 19 muscle groups in cervical, lumbosacral, bulbar, and thoracic regions for each patient. The intensity of fasciculation was divided into five grades based on firing frequency and number in the involved muscle groups.

Results

The overall detection rates were 72.8% in ALS and 18% in non-ALS patients. The fasciculation grades (median [IQR]) were 2 (0–3) in ALS and 0 (0–0) in non-ALS patients (P < 0.001). Fasciculations were observed in four regions for ALS patients and primarily distributed in proximal limbs. Fasciculations in non-ALS patients were primarily low-grade and mostly distributed in distal limbs.

Discussion

The fasciculation grade was higher in ALS than non-ALS patients. The distribution pattern of fasciculation was different between ALS and non-ALS patients.

Conclusions

The fasciculation grade and distribution pattern detected with MUS could help distinguish ALS from non-ALS patients.