bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Abstract 17261: Maintenance of Sinus Rhythm After His Bundle Pacing and AV Nodal Ablation in Patients With Recurrent Atrial Fibrillation After Catheter Ablation
Authors: Deshmukh Amrish , Khanal Puspha , Gondal Amlish , Romanyshyn Mary , Deshmukh Pramod
Published: November 2020

Background:
Catheter ablation (CA) is the most effective means of rhythm control for atrial fibrillation (AF) but is not curative. Irregular and rapid ventricular activation by AF begets AF. Cardiac resynchronization and atrioventricular nodal (AVN) ablation have been associated with favorable atrial remodeling and spontaneous reversion to sinus rhythm in patients with longstanding atrial fibrillation.

Hypothesis:
We hypothesized that in patients with longstanding persistent AF who had failed CA, AVN ablation and His bundle pacing (HBP) may improve maintenance of sinus rhythm.

Methods and Results:
A total of 13 patients (5 female, age 69±8.7 years, 8 with HFrEF, BMI 29 ±5 kg/m
2
,LVEF 38±15%, NYHA 3±0.6) underwent simultaneous AVN ablation and HBP an average of 531 days (Range 1-2158 days) after CA for AF with recurrent AF. Prior to AVN ablation and HBP these patients had a median 9-year history of AF (IQR: 5-15 years) with a median of 2 prior cardioversions (IQR: 1-4) and 2 prior CA. All patients had failed at least 1 antiarrhythmic drug. In 3 patients HBP induced cardiac resynchronization of pre-existing bundle branch block and in 8 patients HBP was fused with ventricular pacing to optimize QRS duration. 12 of 13 patients had an atrial lead. All patients underwent cardioversion at the time of the procedure. In a median of follow up of 21 months (IQR:4-74 months), 7 of the 13 patients (54%) had no device detected or clinical recurrence of AF. In follow up LVEF increased to 46±12.7% and NYHA class to 2 ±0.2. Of patients with recurrence, 3 underwent CA and had no recurrence of AF in subsequent follow up.

Conclusion:
In patients with advanced longstanding persistent AF, a strategy of AVN ablation and HBP allowed for ventricular rate control with a narrow QRS. This approach resulted in a lower than expected rate of AF recurrence.
Abstract 17284: Geographic Variation in Cardiovascular Health Among American Adults
Authors: Parcha Vibhu , Kalra Rajat , Suri Sarabjeet , Malla Gargya , Wang Thomas J , Arora Garima , Arora Pankaj
Published: November 2020

Background:
There are longstanding and pervasive geographic disparities in cardiovascular (CV) health in the US. We sought to evaluate the contemporary trends in CV risk factors by census regions from 2011-2017. The region-specific CV mortality for 2017 was evaluated to assess the geographic overlap between risk factors, CV mortality, and COVID-19 mortality.

Methods:
The age-adjusted prevalence (per 2010 US census proportions) of CV health index (CVHI) metrics (sum of ideal blood pressure, blood glucose, lipid levels, body mass index, smoking status, physical activity, and diet) (0-7 points), were estimated as both continuous and categorical (ideal, intermediate and poor CVHI) measures in the 2011-2017 BRFSS. Regional trends were evaluated with multivariable-adjusted logistic regression models. Age-adjusted CV mortality for 2017 was derived from the CDC WONDER database. COVID-19 crude mortality rates were ascertained from respective state public health departments.

Results:
Among 1,362,529 American adults, the CVHI score increased from 3.89±0.004 in 2011 to 3.96±0.01 in 2017 (P<0.001), modestly improvements in all regions (P<0.05 for all). Ideal CV health prevalence improved only in the northeastern (P=0.03) and southern regions (P=0.002). The CVHI score (3.81±0.01) and prevalence of ideal CV health [2017: 12.2% (95% CI: 11.7-12.7%)] was lowest in southern US. This corresponded with the distribution of CV mortality (per 100,000 persons), which was highest in southern region (233.0 [95% CI: 232.2-233.8]) and lowest in western region (197.5 [95% CI: 19.6-198.5]) (
Figure 1
). State-level distribution of poor CV health did not track with COVID-19 mortality.

Conclusion:
Despite a modest improvement in CVHI, only one-in-six Americans have ideal CV health with significant regional and state-level differences that correlate with the geographical distribution of CV mortality but not COVID-19 mortality. These disparities may worsen after the COVID-19 pandemic.
Abstract 17292: Does Morbid Obesity Worsens Outcomes in COVID-19?
Authors: Roomi Sohaib , Ullah Waqas , Nadeem Nayab , Saeed Rehan , Haas Donald , Boigon Margot
Published: November 2020

Introduction:
Given the high prevalence of obesity around the globe, patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) are at an increased risk of devastating complications.

Hypothesis:
We hypothesize that morbid obesity is independently associated with increased risk of in-hospital mortality, upgrade to intensive care unit, invasive mechanical ventilation(IVM), and acute renal failure necessitating dialysis.

Methods:
A retrospective cohort study was performed to determine the association of basal metabolic index (BMI) with the above-mentioned outcomes. Independent t-test and multivariate logistic regression analysis were performed to calculate mean differences and adjusted odds ratios (aOR) with its 95% confidence interval (CI), respectively.

Results:
A total of 176 patients with confirmed COVID-19 diagnosis were included. The mean age was 62.2 years, with 51% of male patients. The mean BMI for non-surviving patients was significantly higher compared to patients surviving on the 7th day of hospitalization (35 vs. 30 kg/m2, p=0.022) and patients with a higher BMI had higher in-hospital mortality (21% vs. 9%, OR 3.2, 95% CI 1.3-8.2, p=0.01) compared to patients with a normal BMI. Similarly, patients requiring IMV had a higher BMI (33 vs. 29, p=0.002) compared to non-intubated patients. aOR of patients needing IMV (56% vs. 28%, OR 3.3, 95% CI 1.6-7.0, p=0.002) and upgrade to ICU (46% vs. 28%, OR 2.2, 1.07-4.6, p=0.04) were significantly higher compared to patients with a lower BMI. There was no significant difference between the two groups in terms of the need for dialysis (5% vs. 13%, OR 3.8, 13% vs. 4%, 1.1-14.1, p=0.07). Adjusted odds ratios controlled for baseline comorbidities and medications mirrored the overall results, except for the need to upgrade to ICU.

Conclusions:
In patients with confirmed COVID-19, morbid obesity serves as an independent risk factor of high in-hospital mortality and the need for invasive mechanical ventilation.
Abstract 17293: Hyperglycemia Enhances Pro-Inflammatory Properties of Macrophage-Derived Exosomes to Drive Hematopoiesis in Apolipoprotein E-Deficient Mouse
Authors: Bouchareychas Laura , Duong Phat , Phu Tuan Anh , Alsop Eric , meechoovet bessie , Yamamoto Ryo , Nakauchi Hiromitsu , Van Keuren-Jensen kendall , Raffai Robert
Published: November 2020

Introduction:
Macrophage-derived exosomes have emerged as important mediators in cell-to-cell communication by influencing inflammatory signaling and the immune function.

Hypothesis:
We aimed to explore whether hyperglycemia can enhance intercellular communication between mature macrophages and hematopoietic progenitors via exosomes to promote inflammation and diabetic atherosclerosis.

Methods:
Bone marrow derived macrophages (BMDM) from C57BL/6 mice were cultured with normal (5.5 mM) or high glucose concentrations (25 mM). Exosomes were isolated by cushioned-density gradient ultracentrifugation method followed by nanoparticle tracking and western blot analysis. Inflammatory properties of high glucose exosomes (BMDM-HG-exo) or normoglycemic exosomes (BMDM-NG-exo) were tested
in vitro
by exposing them to naïve BMDM. The capacity for BMDM-derived exosomes to alter systemic and vascular inflammation were next tested by infusing 25-30 weeks-old ApoE
-/-
mice fed a chow diet with exosomes three times a week, for four weeks.

Results:
Our data show that BMDM-HG-exo can stimulate the expression of inflammatory cytokines and generate reactive oxygen species in recipient cultured BMDM. Furthermore, our findings show that intraperitoneally injected exosomes distribute to numerous organs and tissues including the bone marrow and the spleen. HG-exo enhance the expansion of multipotent and lineage committed hematopoietic progenitors in the spleen, leading to an enhanced atherosclerotic progression.

Conclusions:
We identify that exosomes derived from cultured BMDM exposed to high glucose have the capacity to exert inflammatory signaling
in vitro
, and
in vivo.
Our findings suggest that exosomes produced by macrophages exposed to hyperglycemia could represent an unsuspected source of inflammation to accelerate atherosclerosis in diabetes.
Pragmatism and Jewish Thought: Eliezer Berkovits’s Philosophy of Halakhic Fallibility
Authors: Berman Shifman Nadav
Published: November 2020

In classical American pragmatism, fallibilism refers to the conception of truth as an ongoing process of improving human knowledge that is nevertheless susceptible to error. This paper traces appearances of fallibilism in Jewish thought in general, and particularly in the halakhic thought of Eliezer Berkovits. Berkovits recognizes the human condition’s persistent mutability, which he sees as characterizing the ongoing effort to interpret and apply halakhah in shifting historical and social contexts as Torat Ḥayyim. In the conclusion of the article, broader questions and observations are raised regarding Jewish tradition, fallibility, and modernity, and the interaction between Judaism and pragmatism in the history of ideas.
Trans-Tasman Resources Limited v. Taranaki-Whanganui Conservation Board
Authors: Makgill Robert A. , Gardner-Hopkins James D. , Coates Natalie R.
Published: November 2020

On 3 April 2020, the Court of Appeal delivered a judgment quashing a decision to approve a seabed mining proposal within New Zealand’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ). This article discusses the judgment’s background, its references to the law of the sea and other international law, and the Court of Appeal’s four key findings. These findings include that the seabed mining approval: (a) failed to ensure protection of the marine environment from pollution; (b) failed to favour caution and protection where information is uncertain or inadequate; (c) failed to integrate decision-making between the EEZ and territorial sea; and (d) failed to adopt an approach to effects consistent with indigenous rights. The article concludes with some observations on the judgment’s relevance to State practice and seabed mining under international law.
Politics of Culture and Cosmopolitan Nostalgia during Islamists’ Rule in Egypt
Authors: Mustonen Liina
Published: November 2020

In the aftermath of the Egyptian uprising in 2011 when Egypt witnessed the emergence of a new Islamist political elite, nostalgia for the country’s glorified past took on an increased political value for those who opposed the new rulers. A Cairo-based milieu of socioeconomically privileged actors, who anxiously observed the election victories of the Muslim Brotherhood, criticized the political developments in light of an imagined Egyptian past. In this article I analyze their discourses and practices and show how they instrumentalized notions of an ancient Egyptian civilization and Egypt’s imagined cosmopolitan past in their critique of the new rulers. It illustrates how, in the political climate of growing tensions after the election of Muhammad Morsi, references to an imagined past, one that was more tolerant, civilized and cosmopolitan, provided a critical resource for those who opposed the new rulers. In the article I locate these propagated visions of cosmopolitanism in the context of Egyptian nationalism and the grand narrative of the Egyptian state.
Poetics or Homiletics? Hearing and Feeling the New Testament in Erasmus’ Paraphrases
Authors: Leushuis Reinier
Published: November 2020

One of the unique homiletic challenges of the Erasmian paraphrase is the transmission of faith in divine matters from the page to the reader’s mind. By which form of imitation is the acquisition of faith by the disciples and their communities not only cognitively understood by, but also imitated in the reader’s mind? Constituting what can be called a poetics of Erasmus’ paraphrastic writing, questions of literary imitation and transmission are exemplified in his enrichment of the sensorial and emotional aspects of the biblical narrative. This essay examines instances where the biblical text highlights the disciples’ witnessing of Jesus both in earthly life and as a risen but living presence. Such instances lead to paraphrastic developments that exemplify reader-oriented imitation by instrumentalizing the senses, in particular hearing and touch, to steer the reader’s inner affective response, and thus to facilitate the acquisition of faith. Although sight is not neglected, I argue that in this process hearing and feeling (both as touch and emotion) are poetically and homiletically privileged to lodge the holy Word in the innermost affective sanctuary of a community of readers and listeners over time who, unlike the witnessing disciples, can no longer see, hear, and touch Christ.
The Local Turn and the Framing of unoci’s Mandated Activities by the UN
Authors: Gilder Alexander
Published: November 2020

This article engages specifically with the local turn in UN peace operations by looking at local engagement and empowerment in the UN Operation in Côte d’Ivoire. After the closure of a long-serving UN peace operation it is important to take stock of the activities pursued under the mandate and reflect on how the mission has contributed to peacekeeping practice. UN peace operations have increasingly undertaken peacebuilding activities at the local level with current literature emphasising the need to involve local actors in decision-making and reconciliation activities. In seeking to uncover how the UN understands the need to involve local actors, the mission activities of unoci are broken down into a number of themes looking at how the local are engaged, given agency and empowered, and also where the UN recognises specific vulnerabilities of persons. The article shows how the UN portrays its activities and where it has either expressly or impliedly sought to demonstrate a concern for the local in Côte d’Ivoire.
Embryonic Modernity: Infectious Dynamics in Early Nineteenth-Century Finnish Culture
Authors: Salmi Hannu , Sarjala Jukka , Rantala Heli
Published: November 2020

The article explores the early decades of the nineteenth century as an era of what we call embryonic modernity. It focuses on Finland which, in 1809, became a Grand Duchy of the Russian empire. The article concentrates on early mass phenomena as embryos of an emerging modern culture. We scrutinize our subject through three different lenses, starting with social infectivity on a minor scale, the unrest caused by students. We then investigate the contagiousness of ideas seen through the press as a news medium in the 1820s. The last section concentrates on the news about cholera and its rapid spread during the early 1830s. We argue that historical embryos were formations of social relationality, composed of affects, beliefs, expectations and sentiments. These formations of emotive dynamics had the capacity to be imitated; they became components of larger social entities by extending their contagiousness to new regions and populations.
On Interpretative Theories of Rhythm
Authors: Horváth Kornélia
Published: November 2020

The connection between the concepts of “rhythm” and “interpretation” or “meaning” in literary (lyrical) theory can be received as a mere paradox. The concept of rhythm and metre had a very important, functional role in the theories of structuralism and structural semiotics. These paradigms of literary theory provided very precise, sometimes numerically detailed descriptions of metre, or a rhythm of a poem, however without taking into consideration the problem of interpretation. From the other side, hermeneutic approaches sometimes mention the “phenomenon” of rhythm, all the same do not realize text-analysis, so cannot connect the problem of the rhythm of a concrete text with the general questions of text-interpretation. Finally, the deconstructive strategies of text-interpretation and text-analysis rather don’t pay attention on the rhythm of a lyrical work. Nevertheless, there are some xx-th century theories which are based on the creative function of language and the semantic interpretation of rhythm, especially the rhythm in a verse or a poem. The paper examines four semantic theories of rhythm: suggestions of Juri Tinanov, I. A. Richards, Émile Benveniste and Henri Meschonnic.
Involvement in and Perception of Atmospheric Science Education Research
Authors: Kopacz Dawn , Maudlin Lindsay C. , Flynn Wendilyn J. , Handlos Zachary J. , Hirsch Adam , Gill Swarndeep
Published: November 2020

Increasing participation in education research and encouraging the use of evidence-based practices in the classroom has been identified as a Grand Challenge in the Geosciences. As a first step in addressing this Grand Challenge, a survey was developed and disseminated to a broad range of atmospheric science professionals to collect data about 1) the number of community members involved in atmospheric science education research (ASER); 2) whether ASER is valued within the community, and if so, to what extent; 3) potential barriers to involvement in ASER; and 4) the resources necessary to encourage involvement in ASER. Survey results revealed that while many in the atmospheric science community highly value education research, barriers to greater involvement include a perceived lack of value and a lack of visibility of ASER. Recommendations are made for addressing these barriers.
Perfectionism and the Imposter Phenomenon in Academically Talented Undergraduates
Authors: Lee Lindsay Ellis , Rinn Anne N. , Crutchfield Kacey , Ottwein Jessica K. , Hodges Jaret , Mun Rachel U.
Published: November 2020

The imposter phenomenon is characterized as difficulty internalizing success due to feelings of inauthenticity or phoniness despite contrary evidence of competence. Academically talented students in undergraduate honors programs could be more vulnerable to the imposter phenomenon as compared with other undergraduates because of experiences surrounding perfectionism and participation in highly selective programs. In this study, researchers examined the relationship between gender, honors program participation, perfectionism, and the imposter phenomenon among undergraduates. Results of a hierarchical regression analysis indicate that socially prescribed perfectionism and honors program participation relate to higher levels of imposter feelings in an undergraduate sample. Implications and practical recommendations for researchers, educators, school counselors, and college administrators are discussed.
What drives consumer activism during trade disputes? Experimental evidence from Canada
Authors: Li Xiaojun , Liu Adam Y.
Published: November 2020

What drives consumer activism during trade disputes? We investigate this important and timely question using a survey experiment in the context of the recent Canada–US trade dispute. We find that Canadians are more likely to express willingness to take punitive actions in the form of boycotting during a trade conflict when they learn that Americans are taking such actions (retaliation), when many fellow citizens are taking such actions (peer pressure), and when they are rallied by their government (elite cue). Among the three conditions, peer pressure has the largest effect. These findings contribute to our understanding of the microfoundations of consumer activism during international trade disputes. They also have important policy implications in a world where both protectionism and populism are rising.
How Methods Instructors and Program Administrators Promote Teacher Education Program Coherence
Authors: Cavanna Jillian M. , Molloy Elreda Lauren , Youngs Peter , Pippin James
Published: November 2020

Although a growing body of scholarship points to the importance of teacher education program coherence, few studies focus on the ways in which teacher education program directors, field placement coordinators, and methods course instructors foster program coherence. This mixed-methods study draws on interview data from four teacher education program directors, seven field placement coordinators, and 25 elementary mathematics and English language arts methods course instructors at four large, public research universities, as well as survey data from 305 elementary teaching candidates at those universities. Using a coherence framework, we analyze differences across programs in the degree to which teaching candidates perceived their programs as having clear visions and high levels of program coherence. We also describe ways in which program directors, field placement coordinators, and methods instructors described and promoted shared visions across courses and between courses and field experiences. Implications for teacher education programs and research are discussed.
Health in Early Adolescence and Paid Employment
Authors: Bozick Robert , Sastry Narayan , Liu Airan
Published: November 2020

This study examines the relationship between health and adolescent employment. Using data from the Panel Study of Income Dynamics’ Child Development Supplement and Transition into Adulthood Supplement, we examine a cohort of 2,925 youth who were followed from childhood into adolescence. We focus on two outcomes measured when sample members were ages 16, 17, and 18: employment status and average weekly hours worked. With these data, we test the hypothesis that youth with health conditions will be less likely to work and if they do work, they work fewer hours a week. We find mixed support for this hypothesis. Youth with sensory limitations, developmental disabilities, and externalizing problem behaviors are less likely to work than their peers without these conditions. However, conditional on being employed, youth with externalizing problem behaviors and ADHD work more hours a week than their peers without those conditions.
Resection of a Giant Hypopharyngeal Liposarcoma Invading the Esophagus by Lateral Pharyngotomy: A Case Report
Authors: Zhang Jie , Lan De , Chen Jing , Wei Xuemei
Published: November 2020

Hypopharyngeal liposarcomas are extremely rare. Due to the lack of experience, pathologists and surgeons find it difficult to make a clear diagnosis and provide accurate, timely treatment. A 43-year-old man with a complaint of foreign body sensation in the throat for 6 months and swallowing difficulty for 2 months was admitted to our department. Contrast-enhanced computed tomography of the chest and larynx revealed a lesion with smooth surface in the esophagus, connected by a pedicle to the hypopharyngeal lesion. The same result was found by gastroscopy. Lateral pharyngotomy was performed for tumor removal, and after 3 weeks, the patient showed good movement of bilateral vocal cords, without dysphagia, choking cough, or hoarseness. This is the first case report of hypopharyngeal liposarcoma invading the esophagus. A thorough preoperative evaluation may be required for the proper diagnosis, prevention, and treatment.
Problems All the Way Down
Authors: Savransky Martin
Published: November 2020

Besieged by ongoing economic crises, global health emergencies, geopolitical instabilities, ecological devastation, and growing political resentments, the intractable nature of the problems that configure the present has never loomed larger or more darkly. But what, indeed, is a problem? Problematising the modern image that treats problems as obstacles to be overcome by the progress of technoscientific knowledge and policy, this introductory article lays the groundwork for a generative conceptualisation of problems. Reweaving intercontinental connections between traditions of French philosophy and American pragmatism, it proffers a conception of the problematic as a mode of existence that is irreducible to the subjective, the methodological, or the epistemological. Problems go all the way down and up, requiring nothing less than an art of metamorphosis capable of engendering processes of creation, invention, and transformation in whose hold bodies and practices, knowledges and lives, thoughts and worlds, are done and undone, made and remade.
A randomised controlled trial of neuromuscular stimulation in non-operative venous disease improves clinical and symptomatic status
Authors: Ravikumar Raveena , Lane Tristan RA , Babber Adarsh , Onida Sarah , Davies Alun H
Published: November 2020

Background

This randomised controlled trial investigates the dosing effect of neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) in patients with chronic venous disease (CVD).

Methods

Seventy-six patients with CEAP C3-C5 were randomised to Group A (no NMES), B (30 minutes of NMES daily) or C (60 minutes of NMES daily). Primary outcome was percentage change in Femoral Vein Time Averaged Mean Velocity (TAMV) at 6 weeks. Clinical severity scores, disease-specific and generic quality of life (QoL) were assessed.

Results

Seventy-six patients were recruited - mean age 60.8 (SD14.4) and 47:29 male. Six patients lost to follow-up. Percentage change in TAMV (p<0.001) was significantly increased in Groups B and C. Aberdeen Varicose Veins Questionnaire Score (-6.9, p=0.029) and Venous Clinical Severity Score (-4, p-0.003) improved in Group C, and worsened in Group A (+1, p=0.025).

Conclusions

Daily NMES usage increases flow parameters, with twice daily usage improving QoL and clinical severity at 6 weeks in CVD patients.
A multi-institutional review of endovenous thermal ablation of the saphenous vein finds male sex and use of anticoagulation are predictors of long-term failure
Authors: Erben Young , Vasquez Isabel , Li Yupeng , Gloviczki Peter , Kalra Manju , Oderich Gustavo , De Martino Randall R , Bjarnason Haraldur , Neisen Melissa J , Moore January F , Da Rocha-Franco Joao A , Sanchez-Valenzuela Maria C , Frey Gregory , Toskich Beau , Devcic Zlatko , Farres Houssam , Oldenburg Warren A , Gomez-Perez Jessica , Yarbrough Justin R , Adalia Michael , Stone William , Meltzer Andrew J , Hakaim Albert G
Published: November 2020

Background

To review long-term outcomes and saphenous vein (SV) occlusion rate after endovenous ablation (EVA) for symptomatic varicose veins.

Methods

A review of our EVA database (1998–2018) with at least 3-years of clinical and sonographic follow-up. The primary end point was SV closure rate.

Results

542 limbs were evaluated. 358 limbs had radiofrequency and 323 limbs had laser ablations; 542 great saphenous veins (GSV), 106 small saphenous veins (SSV) and 33 anterior accessory saphenous veins (AASV) were treated. Follow-up was 5.6 ± 2.3 years; 508 (74.6%) veins were occluded, 53 (7.8%) partially occluded and 120 (17.6%) were patent. On multivariable Cox regression analysis, male sex (HR 1.6, 95% CI [0.46–018], p = 0.012) and use anticoagulation (HR 2.0, 95% CI [0.69–0.34], p = 0.044) were predictors of long-term failure. On Kaplan-Meier curve, we had an 86.3% occlusion rate.

Conclusion

Our experience revealed a 5-year closure rate of 86.3%. Ablations have satisfactory occlusion rate.
Computed tomography characteristics of adrenal ganglioneuroma: a retrospective analysis of 30 pathologically-confirmed cases
Authors: Shao Meihua , Zhang Wenming , Niu Zhongfeng , Chen Songkuan , Jia Yuzhu , An Yongyu , Zhu Fangmei , Wang Jian
Published: November 2020

Objective

To investigate the computed tomography (CT) characteristics of adrenal ganglioneuromas (AGNs) and to determine the ability of CT scanning to distinguish between large (>3 cm) and small (≤3 cm) AGNs.

Methods

This retrospective study searched the electronic medical record system of a hospital between January 2008 and July 2019 in order to identify patients with pathologically-confirmed AGNs that underwent three phases of CT scanning. The CT features were compared between large and small AGNs.

Results

A total of 30 patients with pathologically-confirmed AGNs were included in the study. The majority of patients (76.7%; 23 of 30) were asymptomatic and there were nonspecific symptoms in seven patients. The ‘pointed peach’ sign appeared in more than half of the patients (53.3%; 16 of 30). The CT value of the arterial phase, progressive enhancement, morphology and calciﬁcation in the CT images were found to be signiﬁcantly different between large and small AGNs. Progressive enhancement was more likely to occur in small AGNs. Most large AGNs had irregular shapes, while small AGNs were likely to be round or oval with a smooth border. Calcifications were noted in large AGNs (42.9%; six of 14).

Conclusion

CT scanning can show many of the key imaging characteristics of AGNs used to distinguish between large and small AGNs.
Association between Driveway Land Use and Safety Performance on Rural Highways
Authors: Chakraborty Meghna , Gates Timothy J.
Published: November 2020

Rural roads are a critical component of the transportation network in the U.S., including Michigan, where county roads comprise of a majority of the state’s roadway mileage. The rates of fatal crashes on rural highways are substantially higher than that on urban roads. Previous research has investigated the safety impacts of driveway density, but the effects of driveway land use on rural roadway safety performance, particularly for county roadways, remains under-researched. This study analyzed the safety impacts of various classifications of driveway land utilization on rural two-lane state and county roads. Non-animal segment crashes from 2011 to 2015 were analyzed along with roadway data for over 5,556 mi of state highways and 5,890 mi of paved county segments from across Michigan. To account for the unobserved heterogeneity associated with varied county design standards and site characteristics, mixed-effects negative binomial regression with county- and site-specific random effects was utilized. Separate models were developed for state highways and paved county roads. The results indicated that commercial driveways possess a stronger effect on crash occurrence than other driveway land use types, including residential and industrial driveways. The effect of driveway density on crash frequency was also found to be stronger on state highways compared with the county roads. This study contributes to the limited body of knowledge in relation to the relationship between traffic safety and driveway land use for rural roadway segments, particularly for county roads, which typically possess design and travel characteristics that are considerably different from those of state highways.
‘The voice of the stomach’: the mind, hypochondriasis and theories of dyspepsia in the nineteenth century
Authors: Driggers E Allen
Published: November 2020

Physicians and surgeons during the nineteenth century were eager to explore the causes of stomach and intestinal illnesses. Theories abounded that there was a sympathy between the mind and the body, especially in the case of the dyspepsia. The body was thought to have physical symptoms from the reactions of the mind, especially in the case of hypochondriasis. Digestive problems had a mental component, but mental anguish could also result from physical problems. Dissertations from aspiring as well as established physicians probed the mental causes of irritable bowel diseases and other diseases in the medical literature. Healing was thought to come from contextualizing the link between the problems of the mind and the resulting physical problems of the body.
Social partners’ bargaining strategies in Germany and Spain after the introduction of the Euro: A morphogenetic perspective on corporate agency
Authors: Galazka Anna Milena , Prosser Thomas
Published: November 2020

This article addresses how far wage imbalances in the Eurozone can be imputable to intentional agency by collective bargaining organizations. Using Archer’s morphogenetic approach, we explain the agentic role of social partners in core (Germany) and periphery (Spain) cases, in relation with the respective collective bargaining regimes. We show that the capacity of macro- and meso-level organizations to effect wage-setting practices can be constrained inadvertently by contextual influences with morphostatic properties, generating constrained modes of corporate agency. Yet wage moderation is best understood as a form of agency itself, functioning ‘by being’ rather than ‘doing’, which over time can become more innovative. We contrast this finding with the less constrained capacity of more institutionalized corporate agents, such as transnational business corporations and central state agencies.
A Study of the Internationalization–Performance Relationship in Global Retailing: The Moderating Role of Brand Standardization and Cultural Diversity
Authors: Nath Pravin , Kirca Ahmet H. , Kim Saejoon
Published: November 2020

While the internationalization–performance relationship has been extensively studied in the international business literature, it has only recently begun to be systematically and empirically explored in the retailing context, albeit with mixed findings. This study extends this emerging stream of research on retail internationalization by investigating the moderating role of brand standardization, or the extent to which retailers standardize their domestic store-as-a-brand across foreign markets, using longitudinal data from global retailers. The authors demonstrate that the internationalization–performance relationship is positive and curvilinear for retailers, and it is positively moderated by brand standardization. In particular, brand standardization offers benefits at low and high levels of internationalization, which suggests a learning curve with respect to global brand management as retailers internationalize. The study also finds that cultural diversity in retailers’ foreign markets acts as a boundary condition by weakening this moderating effect of brand standardization. This research contributes to firm internationalization, standardization–adaptation, and global brand management literature streams, with implications for global retailers.
Application of topological optimisation methodology to hydrodynamic thrust bearings
Authors: Kalliorinne Kalle , Larsson Roland , Almqvist Andreas
Published: November 2020

The bearing geometry has a big impact on the performance of a hydrodynamic thrust bearing. For this reason, shape optimisation of the bearing surface has been carried out for some time, with Lord Rayleigh’s early publication dated back to 1918. There are several recent results e.g. optimal bearing geometries that maximise the load carrying capacity for hydrodynamic thrust bearings. Currently, many engineers are making an effort to include sustainability in their work, which increases the need for bearings with lower friction and higher load carrying capacity. Improving these two qualities will result in lower energy consumption and increase the lifetime of applications, which are outcomes that will contribute to a sustainable future. For this reason, there is a need to find geometries that have performance characteristics of as low coefficient of friction torque as possible. In this work, the topological optimisation method of moving asymptotes is employed to optimise bearing geometries with the objective of minimising the coefficient of friction torque. The results are both optimised bearing geometries that minimise the coefficient of friction torque and bearing geometries that maximise the load carrying capacity. The bearing geometries are of comparable aspect ratios to the ones uses in recent publications. The present article also covers minimisation of friction torque on ring bearing geometries, also known as thrust washers. The results are thrust washers with periodical geometries, where the number of periodical segments has a high impact on the geometrical outcome.
Determinants of Households’ Budget Allocation to Water Consumption: Evidence from Urban Pakistan
Authors: Yousaf Hazrat , Ahmed Parvez , Ali Syed Ammad
Published: November 2020

Per capita availability of water is a serious challenge for Pakistan, like other countries. The objectives of this study are to investigate the different sources of water supply use by Pakistan’s urban households, their willingness to pay and modelling the determinants of the households’ budget allocation for water consumption. The study employed Pakistan Social and Living Standards Measurement (PSLM) 2015–2016 data set, which revealed that more than 60 per cent of households rely on piped water. The result of the variable filtration plant shows that urban households take less care of their health because the tendency of filtered water use is low. The regression result shows negative effect of per capita income, and positive effect of square of per capita income reflects that measures to accelerate income will help to increase budget allocation for water supply at the households’ level. The findings call for accelerating the water filtration plants, water availability in tap and higher incomes while controlling the population size and shared common washroom can help to save water in the case of urban Pakistan.
Is fighting against COVID-19 enough?
Authors: Kofler Walter , Glazachev Oleg S. , Lyshol Heidi , Tellnes Gunnar
Published: November 2020

Tools of empirical epidemiology have been and are indispensable to focus political power on blocking the spreading of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) by stopping transmission. The present paper is a comment on E. Gibney’s article ‘Whose coronavirus strategy worked best?’ ( Nature 2020;581:15–6). The strategy for phase 2 should be more complex and interdisciplinary than described in the paper in Nature, especially in the period before a vaccine and specific treatments are available. The focus on reducing the mortality of COVID-19 will have side effects, including excess mortality from other causes. A part of this excess mortality will be based on the reduction of health-care offers as a consequence of the pandemic, and on structural limitations of the health-care system. A special challenge is to understand the relationship between death from and death with COVID-19, and therefore the relevance of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection in people with pre-existing burdens, for example coronary heart disease, cancer or older age. There is a need to extend the recently used tools to all available instruments, including physiological principles of prevention and promotion. The way to integrate global solidarity into the strategies of the different countries is critical not only for global health but also for the peace and long-term success for each individual country. The consequences of efforts against COVID-19 and the impact on reduced air pollution and climate change are also important to analyse from a global health perspective.
Differentiation of Self and Mate Retention Behaviors: The Mediating Role of Communication Patterns
Authors: Ghanbarian Elahe , Hajhosseini Mansureh , Mikani Mehdi , Mahmoudpour Abdolbaset
Published: November 2020

Differentiation of self refers to the capacity of individuals to manage their emotions, remain thoughtful in strong emotional experiences, and the ability to experience intimacy and independence in relationships. Individual differences in differentiation of self may influence the performance of mate retention behaviors. Because poorly differentiated individuals find separation and rejection unbearable and anxiety-provoking, we hypothesized that different levels of differentiation is related to different strategies of mate retention behaviors. However, little empirical attention has been given to the relationship between differentiation of self and mate retention behaviors, particularly in non-individualistic cultures. We aimed to investigate the mediating role of communication patterns in the relationship between differentiation of self and mate retention behaviors. The sample included 282 married individuals from Community Centers (some neighborhoods in Tehran, Iran). The results supported the associations between mate retention behaviors and differentiation of self, and also showed that communication patterns mediate this relationship. This study improves our understanding of differentiation of self and mate retention behaviors in the context of long-term committed relationships from an evolutionary psychological perspective.
CENPE, PRC1, TTK, and PLK4 May Play Crucial Roles in the Osteosarcoma Progression
Authors: Wang Fei , Zhao Qiheng , Liu Wenping , Kong Daliang
Published: November 2020

Osteosarcoma (OS) is a cancerous tumor in a bone. We aimed to identify the critical genes involved in OS progression, and then try to elucidate the molecular mechanisms of this disease. The microarray data of GSE32395 was used for the present study. We analyzed differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in OS cells compared with control group by Student’s t-test. The significant enriched gene ontology (GO) and kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes (KEGG) pathways were analyzed for upregulated genes and downregulated genes, respectively. In addition, a protein-protein interaction (PPI) network was constructed. GO and KEGG enrichment analyses were conducted for genes in the PPI network. In total, 183 DEGs, including 100 upregulated DEGs and 83 downregulated DEGs were screened. The upregulated DEGs were significantly enriched in 2 KEGG pathways, such as “Glycosaminoglycan biosynthesis-chondroitin sulfate” and the downregulated DEGs were significantly enriched in 12 pathways, including “cell adhesion molecules,” “pentose phosphate pathway” and “allograft rejection.” GO enrichment analysis indicated that the upregulated DEGs were significantly involved in biological process, such as “multicellular organismal metabolic process” and “limb morphogenesis,” while the downregulated DEGs were significantly enriched in biological process, such as “Positive regulation of pathway-restricted SMAD protein phosphorylation.” The PPI network included 84 interactions and 51 nodes. The “glycosaminoglycan biosynthesis-chondroitin sulfate pathway,” “microtubule motor activityfunction,” and “regulation of mitosis process” were significantly enriched by genes in PPI network. In particular, CENPE, PRC1, TTK, and PLK4 had higher degrees in the PPI network. The interactions between TTK and PLK4 as well as CENPE and PRC1 may involve in the OS development. These 4 genes might be possible biomarkers for the treatment and diagnosis of OS.
Downregulation of Ubiquitin Inhibits the Aggressive Phenotypes of Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Authors: Gao Yi , Mo Wei , Zhong Li , Jia Huimin , Xu Yiren , Zhang Ji , Xu Xiaohui , Shen Weidong , Wang Fangjun , Li Tengfei , Liu Pengfei , Zhang Shuyu
Published: November 2020

Purpose:

Esophageal cancer is one of the most common malignancies worldwide. Ubiquitin-dependent degradation of regulatory proteins reportedly plays a central role in diverse cellular processes. This study investigated the expression levels of ubiquitin in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma tissues and the functions of ubiquitin in the context of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma progression.

Methods:

The expression of ubiquitin in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma and normal esophageal samples was determined via immunohistochemistry. Serum ubiquitin levels were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The association between serum ubiquitin level and clinicopathological factors was analyzed. Real-time PCR analysis was employed to measure the mRNA levels of the ubiquitin coding genes ubiquitin B and ubiquitin C. Proliferation assays, colony formation assays, and Transwell-based assays were used to determine the influence of ubiquitin on cell growth and cell invasion. Proteomic analysis was performed to identify the proteins associated with ubiquitin.

Results:

Ubiquitin expression in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma tissues was markedly higher than that in normal and tumor adjacent tissues. The levels of ubiquitin in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma serum samples were significantly higher than those in healthy controls. Serum ubiquitin levels were correlated with tumor stage and lymph node metastasis. To silence the expression of ubiquitin, we knocked down the ubiquitin coding genes ubiquitin B and ubiquitin C in TE-1 and Eca-109 cells. Silencing ubiquitin resulted in the suppression of cell growth, chemoresistance, colony formation and cell migration in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma cells. Proteomic analysis in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma cells showed that knockdown of ubiquitin coding genes deregulated the expression of 159 proteins (92 were upregulated and 67 were downregulated) involved in multiple pathways. These proteins included ferritin light chain, ferritin heavy chain, cellular retinoic acid-binding protein 2, and DNA replication factor 1.

Conclusion:

Ubiquitin expression is upregulated in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma tissues and serum samples. Serum ubiquitin levels were correlated with tumor stage and lymph node metastasis. Downregulation of ubiquitin suppresses the aggressive phenotypes of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma cells by complex mechanisms; ubiquitin may represent a novel target for the treatment of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.
Predictors of academic integrity in undergraduate and graduate-entry masters occupational therapy students
Authors: Brown Ted , Isbel Stephen , Logan Alexandra , Etherington Jamie
Published: November 2020

Background: Academic integrity is viewed as honest and responsible scholarship and the moral code of academia. Reported incidences of academic dishonesty among health professional students are widespread and may be an indicator of future unprofessional behaviour in the workplace. Aim: This study investigated the potential predictors of academic integrity in undergraduate and graduate-entry masters occupational therapy students. Method: Occupational therapy students from five universities ( n = 701 participants; 609 undergraduates; 92 graduate-entry masters) were recruited. Data were collected via a two-part self-report questionnaire that included six standardised scales: Academic Dishonesty Scale; Academic Dishonesty in the Classroom Setting Scale; Academic Dishonesty in the Clinical/Practice Education Setting Scale; Moral Development Scale for Professionals; Academic Dishonesty Tendency Scale; and Perceived Academic Sources of Stress. Data analysis involved multi-linear regression analyses with bootstrapping. Result: Significant predictors of academic integrity in occupational therapy students included age, gender, grade point average, public meaning, moral practice, general tendency towards cheating, tendency towards dishonesty in the conduct and reporting of research findings, tendency towards not providing appropriate references and acknowledgements and pressures to perform well academically. Conclusion: These findings will assist educators in identifying vulnerable students potentially prone to academic integrity infringements and implementing proactive strategies with them. Further studies are recommended to explore further predictors of students’ academic integrity.