bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Big Man Rule in Africa: Are Africans Getting the Leadership They Want?
Authors: Dulani Boniface , Tengatenga John
Published: January 2020

Despite the flurry of democratic transitions in the 1990s, the African political arena continues to be dominated by Big-Man rulers who have appropriated and embraced many of the personalistic traits of their predecessors. This is demonstrated, among others, by leaders who seek to circumvent the new constitutional rules to prolong their hold on power. The perpetuation of personalism and deep-rooted presidentialism has led numerous observers to contend that these powerful and personalized forms of rule are reflective of the wider African political culture that is disposed to accept personal rule. Thus far, the argument that ordinary Africans are supportive of personal rule has been based primarily on the inability of elections to dislodge many of the Africa’s strongmen from power without directly testing the attitudes and opinions of ordinary Africans about the type of leadership that they have and want. Using data from five waves of surveys covering a total of 15 countries that were carried out in 2002, 2005, 2008, 2012 and 2014, we examine popular attitudes on the type and nature of leadership that is preferred by ordinary African citizens. The findings show that while most Africans recognize the prevalence of powerful and personalistic rule, they nonetheless overwhelmingly reject these forms of leadership. Africans, in other words, are not getting the type of leadership they want.
Julius Nyerere: from a Territorial Nationalist to a Pan African Nationalist
Authors: Kamata Ng’wanza
Published: January 2020

Africa has largely experienced two types of nationalism namely territorial nationalism and Pan Africanism. Both territorial and Pan African nationalism were anti-imperialists but the former’s mission was limited to attainment of independence from colonialism. Few nationalist leaders who led their countries to independence transcended territorial nationalism; one of them was Julius Nyerere of Tanzania. Nyerere was a Pan African nationalist although he began as a nationalist concerned with the liberation of his country Tanganyika. He spent most of his political life championing for African Unity believing that it was the only instrument to totally liberate Africa. How did his ideas and practices which initially placed him in the ranks of territorial nationalists advance into Pan Africanism? This article examines this question and explores Nyerere’s aspects of Pan Africanism.
The Roman Republic and the Crisis of American Democracy: Echoes of the Past
Authors: Hammer Dean
Published: January 2020

My starting point is a fundamental paradox that lies at the heart of the slow demise of the Roman Republic: why does the system collapse when, as many scholars have noted, there is nothing that suggests that there was ever an intention by anyone to overthrow the Republic? Understanding this paradox is key to identifying what Rome might have to say to us today. What changes in the final decades of the Roman Republic is a declining view of the ability of political institutions to project the community into the future. This change is due to important alterations in the norms that provide the background context by which individuals working through institutions can get things done. The changes in these norms not only disable these institutions, making them seem less capable of projecting the community into the future, but also make possible alterations in the political framework that might have been inconceivable before. In particular, one sees the elevation of individuals who offer solutions by promising to bypass those ineffective and unresponsive institutions.
Tertullian on ‘The Freedom of Religion’
Authors: Atkins Jed W.
Published: January 2020

Tertullian first coined the phrase ‘the freedom of religion’. This article considers what this entails. I argue that Tertullian’s discussion of religious liberty derives its theoretical significance from his creative repurposing of the Roman idea of liberty as non-domination. Tertullian contends that the Roman magistrates’ treatment of Christian citizens and loyal subjects amounts to tyrannical domination characterized by the absence of the traditional conditions for non-domination: the rule of law, rule in and responsive to the interests of the people, and citizens’ rights. On his reworking of these criteria, he argues that citizens and loyal subjects should have the right to act publicly on the convictions of their conscience even if these actions conflict with the state’s civil religion. Tertullian shows that non-domination is a highly flexible idea that does not necessarily entail the participatory ‘free state’ of republicanism. Moreover, by applying the logic of non-domination to questions surrounding religious liberty, he opens up an important avenue of investigation largely ignored in the contemporary republican literature on non-domination.
Attentional Interactions Between Vision and Hearing in Event-Related Responses to Crossmodal and Conjunct Oddballs
Authors: Friedel Evelyn B. N. , Bach Michael , Heinrich Sven P.
Published: January 2020

Are alternation and co-occurrence of stimuli of different sensory modalities conspicuous? In a novel audio-visual oddball paradigm, the P300 was used as an index of the allocation of attention to investigate stimulus- and task-related interactions between modalities. Specifically, we assessed effects of modality alternation and the salience of conjunct oddball stimuli that were defined by the co-occurrence of both modalities. We presented (a) crossmodal audio-visual oddball sequences, where both oddballs and standards were unimodal, but of a different modality (i.e., visual oddball with auditory standard, or vice versa), and (b) oddball sequences where standards were randomly of either modality while the oddballs were a combination of both modalities (conjunct stimuli). Subjects were instructed to attend to one of the modalities (whether part of a conjunct stimulus or not). In addition, we also tested specific attention to the conjunct stimuli. P300-like responses occurred even when the oddball was of the unattended modality. The pattern of event-related potential (ERP) responses obtained with the two crossmodal oddball sequences switched symmetrically between stimulus modalities when the task modality was switched. Conjunct oddballs elicited no oddball response if only one modality was attended. However, when conjunctness was specifically attended, an oddball response was obtained. Crossmodal oddballs capture sufficient attention even when not attended. Conjunct oddballs, however, are not sufficiently salient to attract attention when the task is unimodal. Even when specifically attended, the processing of conjunctness appears to involve additional steps that delay the oddball response.
Multisensory Interactions in Virtual Reality: Optic Flow Reduces Vestibular Sensitivity, but Only for Congruent Planes of Motion
Authors: Gallagher Maria , Choi Reno , Ferrè Elisa Raffaella
Published: January 2020

During exposure to Virtual Reality (VR) a sensory conflict may be present, whereby the visual system signals that the user is moving in a certain direction with a certain acceleration, while the vestibular system signals that the user is stationary. In order to reduce this conflict, the brain may down-weight vestibular signals, which may in turn affect vestibular contributions to self-motion perception. Here we investigated whether vestibular perceptual sensitivity is affected by VR exposure. Participants’ ability to detect artificial vestibular inputs was measured during optic flow or random motion stimuli on a VR head-mounted display. Sensitivity to vestibular signals was significantly reduced when optic flow stimuli were presented, but importantly this was only the case when both visual and vestibular cues conveyed information on the same plane of self-motion. Our results suggest that the brain dynamically adjusts the weight given to incoming sensory cues for self-motion in VR; however this is dependent on the congruency of visual and vestibular cues.
Revision of the genus Setosella (Bryozoa: Cheilostomata) with description of new species from deep-waters and submarine caves of the Mediterranean Sea
Authors: ROSSO A. , MARTINO E. DI , GEROVASILEIOU V.
Published: January 2020

The genus Setosella included to date six species. After revision, only four of these species were retained, i.e. S. vulnerata, S. cavernicola, S. folini and S. spiralis. The remaining two species were tentatively placed in Woodipora, W.? antilleana n. comb., and Andreella,  A.? fragilis n. comb. On the other hand, scanning electron microscopy examination of Mediterranean material, revealed the presence of three new species previously included in species complexes: S. cyclopensis n. sp. from the open-shelf, S. rossanae n. sp. from submarine caves, and S. alfioi n. sp. from deep-waters. The diagnosis of the genus was amended to include the occurrence of kenozooids in S. cyclopensis n. sp. and S. cavernicola, and of free-living ring-shaped and scorpioid colonies in S. folini and S. alfioi n. sp. All the seven species now in Setosella have present-day representatives; the geographic distribution of the genus is restricted to the NE Atlantic and adjacent seas; its stratigrafic distribution is rejuvenated to the late Tortonian-early Messinian of southern Italy and insular Greece, with only three species occasionally and discontinuously reported. All species are able to produce numerous, subsequent intramural buds and morphological differences seem to be consistently associated with exploitation of particular habitats and substrata.
First report of the genus Longipalpus Montrouzier, 1861 (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae: Cerambycinae) from India with the description of a new species
Authors: HIREMATH S. R.
Published: January 2020

Longipalpus palodensis sp. nov. (Cerambycidae: Cerambycinae: Obriini) is described and illustrated from India. Life history information is also provided. This is the first report of the genus from India.
Discovery of a new species of Embolemus Westwood (Hymenoptera: Embolemidae) from New Caledonia
Authors: CONTARINI MARIO , OLMI MASSIMO , CAPRADOSSI LEONARDO , GUGLIELMINO ADALGISA
Published: January 2020

Embolemus villemantae sp. nov. (Hymenoptera: Embolemidae) is described from New Caledonia. The key to the males of the Australasian species of Embolemus is modified to include the new species.
A new species of the genus Graphelmis DELÈVE, 1968 from China (Coleoptera: Elmidae)
Authors: DONG XUE , BIAN DONGJU
Published: January 2020

Graphelmis dulongensis sp. nov. is described from Yunnan, China. Photos of habitus and male genitalia are given.
A review of Deuterixys Mason from China, with description of three new species (Hymenoptera, Braconidae, Microgastrinae)
Authors: ZHENG MINLIN , SONG DONGBAO
Published: January 2020

The genus Deuterixys Mason, 1981 (Hymenoptera, Braconidae, Microgastrinae) is revised for China, with three new species described: D. jilinensis Zheng & Song, sp. nov., D. longitarsus Zheng & Song, sp. nov. and D. shennongensis Zheng & Song, sp. nov. A key to the Old World species of Deuterixys is presented.
The Role of MiR-339 in the Teriparatide-Induced Proliferation and Differentiation of Bone Marrow Mesenchymal Stem Cells
Authors: Fang Hongsong , Deng Shuang , Jin Zhihui , Peng Hao , Chen Sen
Published: January 2020

Osteoporosis is closely related to BMMSCs differentiation. Teriparatide promotes BMMSCs proliferation and differentiation with unclear mechanism. Both miR-339 and DLX5 are closely related to the differentiation of BMMSCs. Our study intends to assess the mechanism by how teripeptide
promotes the proliferation and differentiation of BMMSCs. Rat BMMSCs were cultured and transfected with miR-339 inhibitor/NC and then treated with tripeptide (0, 10, 20, 50 nmol/L) followed by analysis of cell proliferation by CCK8 assay, alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity, expression of
miR-339, DLX5, Runx2 and OCN by real-time PCR, and DLX5 protein level by Western blot. miR-339 inhibitor transfection significantly decreased miR-339 expression, increased DLX-5 protein level, cell number, ALP activity and expression of osteogenic genes. Compared with 0 nmol/L group, 10, 20,
50 nmol/L group presented significantly increased cell number. With increased teriparatide concentration, cell number, ALP activity and expression levels of Runx2 and OCN was increased gradually and miR-339 and DLX5 expression was reduced. The luciferase activity in miR339 inhibitor and pmirGLO-DLX5-3′
UTR-wt-transfected cells was higher than cells transfected with miR-339 NC and pmirGLO-DLX5-3′ UTR-wt. Teriparatide promotes BMMSCs osteogenic differentiation by down-regulating miR-339 which targets DLX5 expression.
Mir-149 Promotes Survival and Differentiation of Bone Marrow Mesenchymal Stem Cells by Regulating Interleukin-6/Signal Transducer and Activator of Transcription 3 Signaling Pathway
Authors: Qin Guozhong , Huo Shaochuan , Li Juehui , Lian Yin , Jin Xiaoli
Published: January 2020

Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) can self-renew with multi-directional differentiation. Mir-149 is involved in various diseases, but whether Mir-149 regulates the survival and differentiation of BMSCs and related mechanisms remains unclear. BMSCs were isolated and randomly
divided into Si-NC group, Mir-149 siRNA group, and Mir-149 siRNA + STAT3 inhibitor WP1066 group followed by analysis of the expression of Mir-149, RUNX2 and OPN mRNA by real time PCR, BMSCs proliferation by MTT assay, Caspase 3 activity, ALP activity, formation of type II collagen and IL-6
level by ELISA, as well as STAT3 signaling pathway expression by Western blot. Mir-149 expression was reduced in BMSCs of Mir-149 siRNA group, with promoted survival of BMSCs, decreased Caspase 3 activity, increased expression of RUNX2 and OPN, type II collagen formation, ALP activity, IL-6
secretion, as well as elevated pSTAT3 phosphorylation. The differences were statistically significant compared to Si-NC group (P < 0.05). Mir-149 siRNA + WP1066 inhibited pSTAT3 phosphorylation, reduced BMSCs survival, increased Caspase 3 activity, decreased RUNX2 and OPN expression,
type II collagen production, ALP activity, as well as reduced IL-6 secretion. Compared with Mir-149 siRNA group, there were significant differences (P < 0.05). Down-regulation of Mir-149 in BMSCs can promote BMSCs survival and osteogenic differentiation by regulating IL-6/STAT3 signaling
pathway.
Effect of Ellagic Acid on Wound Healing of Chronic Skin Ulceration in Diabetic Mice and Macrophage Phenotype Transformation
Authors: Fan Gaofu , Xu Zhenguo , Tang Jie , Liu Longyun , Dai Ruomeng
Published: January 2020

Objection: To study the effect of modified formulae for ellagic acid (EA) on wound healing and macrophage phenotype transformation in diabetic mice. Materials and Methods: 10 db/m mice regarded as normal group, Dividing 20 db/db mice as the model group and EA group, 10
in every group. Surgical operation on the back was made to prepare experimental wound models. External medicines were applied and changed dressings every other day and measurement. Wound tissues were gained when animals were sacrificed by anesthesia 7 days later. Pathological changes were
observed by HE and Masson staining methods, while using RT-PCR and IHC to measure mRNA and protein levels of MI/M2 type cytokines of the wound tissues. Results: Compared with the normal group, the wound area of db/db was greater (P < 0.001), while EA group less (P <
0.001). IL-12 and TNF-α mRNA and proteins levels in model group were higher (P < 0.001, respectively), while VEGF and TGF-βmRNA and proteins were lower. mRNA and protein levels of inflammato cytokines of EA group was all lower (P < 0.001), while
the growth factor were significantly higher (P < 0.001). Conclusion: Wound healing of db/db mice was delayed and modified formulae for EA had effects on wound healing. The way by decreasing the Ml type inf1ammatory factors and improving the M2 type growth factors might be
one of the mechanisms for wound healing.
Ocean Circulation Connecting Fram Strait to Glaciers off Northeast Greenland: Mean Flows, Topographic Rossby Waves, and Their Forcing
Authors: Münchow Andreas , Schaffer Janin , Kanzow Torsten
Published: January 2020

From 2014 through 2016 we instrumented the ~80-km-wide Norske Trough near 78°N latitude that cuts across the 250-km-wide shelf from Fram Strait to the coast. Our measurements resolve a ~10-km-wide bottom-intensified jet that carries 0.27 ± 0.06 Sv (1 Sv ≡ 106 m3 s−1) of warm Atlantic water from Fram Strait toward the glaciers off northeast Greenland. Mean shoreward flows along the steep canyon walls reach 0.1 m s−1 about 50 m above the bottom in 400-m-deep water. The same bottom-intensified vertical structure emerges as the first dominant empirical orthogonal function that explains about 70%–80% of the variance at individual mooring locations. We interpret the current variability as remotely forced wave motions that arrive at our sensor array with periodicities longer than 6 days. Coherent motions with a period near 20 days emerge in our array as a dispersive topographic Rossby wave that propagates its energy along the sloping canyon toward the coast with a group speed of about 63 km day−1. Amplitudes of wave currents reach 0.1 m s−1 in the winter of 2015/16. The wave is likely generated by Ekman pumping over the shelfbreak where sea ice is always mobile. More than 40% of the along-slope ocean current variance near the bottom of the canyon correlates with vertical Ekman pumping velocities 180 km away. In contrast, the impact of local winds on the observed current fluctuations is negligible. Dynamics appear linear and Rossby wave motions merely modulate the mean flow.
Characterizing and Constraining Uncertainty Associated with Surface and Boundary Layer Turbulent Fluxes in Simulations of Lake-Effect Snowfall
Authors: Minder Justin R. , Bartolini W. Massey , Spence Christopher , Hedstrom Newell R. , Blanken Peter D. , Lenters John D.
Published: January 2020

Lake-effect snow (LeS) storms are driven by strong turbulent surface layer (SL) and planetary boundary layer (PBL) fluxes of heat and moisture caused by the flow of cold air over relatively warm water. To investigate the sensitivity of simulated LeS to the parameterization of SL and PBL turbulence, high-resolution simulations of two major storms, downwind of Lakes Superior and Ontario, are conducted using the Weather Research and Forecasting Model. Multischeme and parameter sensitivity experiments are conducted. Measurements of overlake fluxes and downwind snowfall are used to evaluate the simulations. Consistent with previous studies, LeS is found to be strongly sensitive to SL and PBL parameterization choices. Simulated precipitation accumulations differ by up to a factor of 2 depending on the schemes used. Differences between SL schemes are the dominant source of this sensitivity. Parameterized surface fluxes of sensible and latent heat can each vary by over 100 W m−2 between SL schemes. The magnitude of these fluxes is correlated with the amount of downwind precipitation. Differences between PBL schemes play a secondary role, but have notable impacts on storm morphology. Many schemes produce credible simulations of overlake fluxes and downwind snowfall. However, the schemes that produce the largest surface fluxes produce fluxes and precipitation accumulations that are biased high relative to observations. For two SL schemes studied in detail, unrealistically large fluxes can be attributed to parameter choices: the neutral stability turbulent Prandtl number and the threshold friction velocity used for defining regimes in the overwater surface roughness calculation.
Malignant Otitis Externa is Associated with Diabetes: A Population-Based Case-Control Study
Authors: Yang Tzong-Hann , Xirasagar Sudha , Cheng Yen-Fu , Wu Chuan-Song , Kao Yi-Wei , Shia Ben-Chang , Lin Herng-Ching
Published: January 2020

Objective:

Despite studies reporting a possible association between malignant otitis externa (MOE) and diabetes, there are no large-scale population-based empirical studies. This nationwide, population-based case-control study explored the association of MOE occurrence with previously diagnosed diabetes.

Methods:

Data were retrieved from Taiwan’s National Health Insurance Research Database, 753 patients with MOE (cases) and 2 259 propensity score-matched patients without MOE (controls). Multiple logistic regressions were conducted to examine the association of MOE with previously diagnosed diabetes.

Results:

In total, 728 (24.2%) out of 3 012 sample patients had diabetes prior to the index date. Chi-square test revealed a significant difference in diabetes prevalence among cases and controls (54.8% vs 13.9%, p < 0.001). Simple logistic regression showed the odds ratio for prior diabetes among cases versus controls was 7.50 (95% CI, 6.22~9.03). The adjusted odds ratio of prior diabetes for cases versus controls was 10.07 (95% CI, 8.15~12.44) after adjusting for patient demographics and medical co-morbidities.

Conclusions:

This study found an association between MOE and diabetes. One clinical practice implication of our study is that when a patient with diabetes complains of otalgia or otorrhea, and physical examination shows swelling of the ear canal or granulation growth, physicians should consider the possibility of MOE.
Exploring Factors Influencing Medication Adherence From Initiation to Discontinuation in Parents and Adolescents With Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
Authors: Khan Muhammad Umair , Aslani Parisa
Published: January 2020

This study explored factors influencing parents’ and adolescents’ decisions to initiate, continue, and discontinue medication for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Three focus groups were conducted with parents (n = 23) of children with ADHD, and 2 with adolescents diagnosed with ADHD (n = 11). Parents and adolescents independently discussed the complexities surrounding their decisions to adhere to ADHD medication. Parents’ negative beliefs about medication (fear of side effects) discouraged them from initiating therapy. Once initiated, parents struggled in balancing the need to medicate (improvements in learning and behavior) and concerns (weight loss, perceived delayed development) about the medication. Parents who had more concerns about the medication were more in favor of discontinuation. For adolescents, the desire for self-expression without being medicated was the primary factor determining nonadherence and/or discontinuation of the medication. Adolescents’ medication-related concerns were relatively different from the parents. Phase- and group-specific interventions are required to improve medication adherence in people with ADHD.
Iron Packaging Regulations in the United States and Pediatric Morbidity: A Retrospective Cohort Study
Authors: Leonard James B. , Hines Elizabeth Quaal , Klein-Schwartz Wendy
Published: January 2020

Iron poisoning was a leading cause of pediatric morbidity and mortality. We sought to assess whether the removal of strict iron packaging requirements in 2003 resulted in an increase in iron-related morbidity and mortality in pediatric exposures. We performed a retrospective cohort study utilizing the National Poison Data System from 2000 to 2017. A total of 4110 exposures met inclusion criteria: 847 from before (2000-2003) and 3263 after removal of unit-dose package regulations (2004-2017). The incidence of any marker of severity (7.2% vs 3.8%; odds ratio = 0.51, 95% confidence interval = 0.37-0.69) and frequency of deferoxamine use were both higher in the early time period (2.6% vs 1.0%; odds ratio = 0.38, 95% confidence interval = 0.22-0.66). There was no difference in the frequency of key serious effects (acidosis, elevated transaminases, hypotension). Despite removal of iron packaging regulations in the United States, there continues to be a decrease in the incidence of severe iron exposures in children.
DPSCs Attenuate Experimental Progressive TMJ Arthritis by Inhibiting the STAT1 Pathway
Authors: Cui S.J. , Zhang T. , Fu Y. , Liu Y. , Gan Y.H. , Zhou Y.H. , Yang R.L. , Wang X.D.
Published: January 2020

Severe inflammation, progressive cartilage, and bone destruction are typical pathologic changes in temporomandibular joint (TMJ) arthritis and lead to great difficulty for treatment. However, current therapy is inefficient to improve degenerative changes in progressive TMJ arthritis. This study investigated the therapeutic effects of human dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs) on severe inflammatory TMJ diseases. Progressive TMJ arthritis in rats was induced by intra-articular injection of complete Freund’s adjuvant and monosodium iodoacetate. DPSCs were injected into the articular cavity to treat rat TMJ arthritis, with normal saline injection as control. Measurement of head withdrawal threshold, micro–computed tomography scanning, and histologic staining were applied to evaluate the severity of TMJ arthritis. Results showed that local injection of DPSCs in rats with TMJ arthritis relieved hyperalgesia and synovial inflammation, attenuated cartilage matrix degradation, and induced bone regeneration. Inflammatory factors TNF-α and IFN-γ were elevated in progressive TMJ arthritis and partially decreased by local injection of DPSCs. MMP3 and MMP13 were elevated in the arthritis + normal saline group and decreased in the arthritis + DPSCs group, which indicated amelioration of matrix degradation. The isolated primary synoviocytes were cocultured with DPSCs after inflammatory factors stimulated to explore the possible biological mechanisms. The expression of MMP3 and MMP13 in synoviocytes was elevated after TNF-α and IFN-γ stimulation and partially reversed by DPSC treatment in the in vitro study. The signal transducer and activator of transcription 1 (STAT1) was activated by inflammatory stimulation and suppressed by DPSC coculture. The upregulation of MMP3 and MMP13 triggered by inflammation was blocked by STAT1-specific inhibitor, suggesting that STAT1 regulated the expression of MMP3 and MMP13. In conclusion, this study demonstrated the possible therapeutic effects of local injection of DPSCs on progressive TMJ arthritis by inhibiting the expression of MMP3 and MMP13 through the STAT1 pathway.
Automated Skeletal Classification with Lateral Cephalometry Based on Artificial Intelligence
Authors: Yu H.J. , Cho S.R. , Kim M.J. , Kim W.H. , Kim J.W. , Choi J.
Published: January 2020

Lateral cephalometry has been widely used for skeletal classification in orthodontic diagnosis and treatment planning. However, this conventional system, requiring manual tracing of individual landmarks, contains possible errors of inter- and intravariability and is highly time-consuming. This study aims to provide an accurate and robust skeletal diagnostic system by incorporating a convolutional neural network (CNN) into a 1-step, end-to-end diagnostic system with lateral cephalograms. A multimodal CNN model was constructed on the basis of 5,890 lateral cephalograms and demographic data as an input. The model was optimized with transfer learning and data augmentation techniques. Diagnostic performance was evaluated with statistical analysis. The proposed system exhibited >90% sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy for vertical and sagittal skeletal diagnosis. Clinical performance of the vertical classification showed the highest accuracy at 96.40 (95% CI, 93.06 to 98.39; model III). The receiver operating characteristic curve and the area under the curve both demonstrated the excellent performance of the system, with a mean area under the curve >95%. The heat maps of cephalograms were also provided for deeper understanding of the quality of the learned model by visually representing the region of the cephalogram that is most informative in distinguishing skeletal classes. In addition, we present broad applicability of this system through subtasks. The proposed CNN-incorporated system showed potential for skeletal orthodontic diagnosis without the need for intermediary steps requiring complicated diagnostic procedures.
“Subjects” in and of Research: Decolonizing Oppressive Rhetorical Practices in Technical Communication Research
Authors: Agboka Godwin Y.
Published: January 2020

Despite the recent surge in social justice and decolonial scholarship, technical and professional communication (TPC) research remains a potential site of oppression. This article is meant to be a call to action; it attempts to (re)ignite discussions about what we value and how we express what we value. It encourages the field of TPC to be more responsive to the experiences and struggles of research participants—those we engage during our knowledge production process. I explore what I call oppressive rhetoric in TPC research with a specific focus on the term subjects in institutional review board forms and in the reporting of some TPC research about research participants. I assert that in spite of our best efforts in advancing the goals of marginalized groups and despite the forward-looking trajectory of progressive research, more work needs to be done to address oppressive rhetoric in TPC scholarship.
Kinetic and isotherm studies on adsorption of methylene blue using polyacrylonitrile/hydroxyl group functionalized multiwall carbon nanotube multilayered nanofibrous composite
Authors: Swaminathan S , Imayathamizhan NM , Muthumanickkam A
Published: January 2020

Nanofibrous composite mat was prepared using polyacrylonitrile hard yarn waste and hydroxyl group functionalized multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs-OH) by electrospinning technique and exploit for methylene blue dye adsorption from aqueous solution. The nanofibrous composite mat was characterized by Fourier transform (FT) infrared spectroscopy, FT-Raman, scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffractometer and thermogravimetric analyser. The adsorption experiments were studied to investigate the effect of MWCNT-OH weight percentage, initial solution pH, contact time and initial dye concentration on the adsorption. The higher percentage of methylene blue adsorption was found to be 80.05% under optimal condition. The adsorption equilibrium data were studied with Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm models. The R 2 value was found to be higher in the Freundlich isotherm model which was clearly indicated that the Freundlich isotherm model is most suitable for the adsorption of methylene blue on nanofibrous composite mat. The kinetic study was carried out to explain the adsorption rate of methylene blue on nanofibrous composite. The kinetic study of methylene blue adsorption was favourable to the pseudo second-order equation.
Escape the Evil Professor! Escape Room Review Activity
Authors: LaPaglia Jessica A.
Published: January 2020

In this article, the author describes an exam review activity in which students answered questions and solved puzzles in order to escape the review session. In a general psychology (100-level) course and research methods in psychology (300-level) course, students solved a series of puzzles and review questions. This format is similar to popular escape room attractions. Finally, the first group to sing a song that would appease the evil professor was allowed to leave the review session. Perceptions of the escape room were positive and concepts questioned in the review game were retained better than concepts that were not included.
Conflicts of Interest in Human Subject Research: The Insufficiency of U.S. and International Standards
Authors: Rodwin Marc A.
Published: January 2020

Researchers, as well as individuals and institutions that oversee their conduct, sometimes have conflicts of interest that weaken or render ineffective efforts to protect human research subjects. This article analyzes United States and international standards used to address conflicts of interest and reviews evidence regarding compliance. It finds current standards are insufficient and recommends that the federal government and international organizations adopt stronger legal standards that require resolving most significant conflicts of interest and specifying how to manage conflicts of interest not resolved.
Nutrition Embedding Evaluation Programme: An Evaluation Technical Assistance Model for Supporting Civil Society Organizations to Conduct Quality Nutrition Impact Evaluations
Authors: Kothari Monica , Mackison Dionne , Hemminger Carolyn , Fimbi Sandrine , Lionetti Denise , Perry Abigail , Siling Katja , Hailu Blene
Published: January 2020

The Nutrition Embedding Evaluation Programme (NEEP) was a global 4-year program (2013–2017) funded by the United Kingdom Department for International Development created to respond to gaps in the nutrition evidence base. The NEEP implementing agency—PATH—provided grants and evaluation technical assistance (ETA) to civil society organizations (CSOs) from 12 countries to conduct robust nutrition-related impact evaluations. The programmatic approach of having an intermediary agent to manage the funding and ETA mechanisms for nutrition impact evaluations is rare and therefore provides a unique opportunity to understand its effectiveness. Over the program duration, NEEP collected lessons learned that were analyzed and disaggregated into key themes considered critical for the completion of high-quality impact evaluations. From these lessons learned, NEEP provides an ETA program model that can be replicated or adapted to other international development sectors. This model highlights the key role of the three tiers (donor, ETA manager, and CSOs) in ensuring the best value for money and effective technical support for conducting impact evaluations and fostering the importance of knowledge uptake and evaluative culture for maximum knowledge diffusion. In this way, global research can be targeted to approaches that provide options to collaborate with the program implementers and contribute to a holistic evidence base to inform policy and programmatic decisions.
Self-employment and Civic Inclination
Authors: Mencken F. Carson , Smith Bethany , Tolbert Charles M.
Published: January 2020

We test whether the self-employed have higher levels of civic inclination (trust, political activism, community closeness, community participation) compared to workers from the private sector. We examine the civic inclinations of the self-employed with two national cross-sectional data sets. We use a variety of discrete and continuous regression models. We find that the self-employed have higher levels of political activism, feel closer to neighbors and family, and have greater odds of engaging to solve community problems. We fail to detect differences in donating money, attending community events, and closeness to friends. Previous research has concluded with county-level data that the self-employed are important actors in building community and creating social capital. Our results add to this literature by showing that the self-employed have higher levels of civic inclination with individual-level data. Implications for theory and research are discussed.
Inventing Others in Digital Written Communication: Intercultural Encounters on the U.S.-Mexico Border
Authors: Pihlaja Beau
Published: January 2020

At a multinational company, daily written communication between staff, supervisors, customers, and suppliers is frequently conducted using digital tools (e.g., emails, smartphones, and texting applications) often across multiple nationally, linguistically, and conceptually defined borders. Determining digital tools’ impact on intercultural encounters in professional environments like these is difficult but important given the sheer volume of digital contact in technical and professional environments and the ongoing global struggle to broker peace and productivity amid communities’ many perceived differences. Using examples drawn from a case study of binational manufacturing sister companies, I build on recent work in professional, networked written communication to analyze two WhatsApp exchanges, one between a central study participant and his customer, another between the participant and an employee. This study shows how asynchronous digital communication tools created complex “silences” in writing between participants. In these silences (e.g., a lack of or delayed response to a text) individuals try to explain others’ actions for themselves. Drawing on a combination of third-generation activity theory and Latourian actor-network theory, I show that while explaining others’ actions in writing with whatever cultural shorthand is available may remain a common part of everyday life and research, it can be a poor guide for explaining others’ actions, especially in digital writing. My study shows how research of, and instruction in, digital tool use in intercultural writing contexts requires attention to the material conditions and objectives potentially shaping one’s own as well as others’ composition choices.
The Clock Keeps Ticking: Circadian Rhythms of Free-Ranging Polar Bears
Authors: Ware Jasmine V. , Rode Karyn D. , Robbins Charles T. , Leise Tanya , Weil Colby R. , Jansen Heiko T.
Published: January 2020

Life in the Arctic presents organisms with multiple challenges, including extreme photic conditions, cold temperatures, and annual loss and daily movement of sea ice. Polar bears ( Ursus maritimus) evolved under these unique conditions, where they rely on ice to hunt their main prey, seals. However, very little is known about the dynamics of their daily and seasonal activity patterns. For many organisms, activity is synchronized (entrained) to the earth’s day/night cycle, in part via an endogenous (circadian) timekeeping mechanism. The present study used collar-mounted accelerometer and global positioning system data from 122 female polar bears in the Chukchi and Southern Beaufort Seas collected over an 8-year period to characterize activity patterns over the calendar year and to determine if circadian rhythms are expressed under the constant conditions found in the Arctic. We reveal that the majority of polar bears (80%) exhibited rhythmic activity for the duration of their recordings. Collectively within the rhythmic bear cohort, circadian rhythms were detected during periods of constant daylight (June-August; 24.40 ± 1.39 h, mean ± SD) and constant darkness (23.89 ± 1.72 h). Exclusive of denning periods (November-April), the time of peak activity remained relatively stable (acrophases: ~1200-1400 h) for most of the year, suggesting either entrainment or masking. However, activity patterns shifted during the spring feeding and seal pupping season, as evidenced by an acrophase inversion to ~2400 h in April, followed by highly variable timing of activity across bears in May. Intriguingly, despite the dynamic environmental photoperiodic conditions, unpredictable daily timing of prey availability, and high between-animal variability, the average duration of activity (alpha) remained stable (11.2 ± 2.9 h) for most of the year. Together, these results reveal a high degree of behavioral plasticity in polar bears while also retaining circadian rhythmicity. Whether this degree of plasticity will benefit polar bears faced with a loss of sea ice remains to be determined.
Sustainability of Palliative Care in a Rural Hospital in Tanzania: A Longitudinal and Prospective 4-Year Study
Authors: Pöyhiä Reino Torsti Ilmari , Mwalumuli Emmanuel Owden , Mtega Aida Charles , Vegula Jackson John
Published: January 2020

Background:

Palliative care has been developed in recent years in many sub-Saharan countries in Africa due to activities of African Association for Palliative Care. Palliative care units have been established also in most hospitals in Tanzania. Yet very little is known about their functions. Long-term studies about the sustainability of palliative care have not been carried out.

Methods:

The attitudes of 101 members of hospital staff and persons in charge of palliative care services of Ilembula District Designated Hospital (IDDH), Tanzania, were assessed using a modified and prevalidated questionnaire annually in 2014 to 2017. The inquiries were executed on randomly allocated days. Also, the patient and economy registries were analyzed. Additional qualitative data were obtained in personal interviews and during observational visits twice a year at the IDDH.

Results:

Ilembula District Designated Hospital has a true multiprofessional palliative care team, which provides services in the hospital, in the villages, and at homes. The activities are based on careful 5-year planning and budgeting. Up to 17 villages have been included in the services. Ninety-five percent of the patients were HIV infected. Short-acting morphine oral solution was the only available strong opioid. The hospital staff evaluated palliative care as good or excellent; 50% of the staff would need more support in the end-of-life care.

Conclusions:

A sustainable palliative care service can be built in a Tanzanian rural hospital if an advanced planning and budgeting are made. In Tanzania, the biggest group of palliative care patients are still HIV-infected individuals. There is a lack of opioids in the country.
Contribution of the Mesencephalon Indices to Differential Diagnosis of Parkinsonian Disorders
Authors: Oktay Cemil , Özkaynak S. Sibel , Eseroğlu Esma , Karaali Kamil
Published: January 2020

Background and Purpose:

This study aimed to assess the sensitivity and specificity of brain stem morphologic changes to differentiate the progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) from Parkinson disease (PD) and multiple system atrophy (MSA), by single and combined magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) measurements.

Materials and Methods:

Peduncle angle (PA), pons area (P), mesencephalon area (M), middle cerebellar peduncles (MCPs), and superior cerebellar peduncles (SCPs) were measured in 14 PSP, 43 PD, 8 MSA patients, and 45 age-matched control participants on T1-weighted MRI. Neurologists clinically diagnosed all patients. Additionally, P/M ratio, MCPs/SCPs ratio, the previously defined Magnetic Resonance Parkinsonism Index, MRPI: (P/M) · (MCP/SCP), and also the Akdeniz Index (AKI) that we termed were calculated, AKI: (P/M) · (PA/180). Two blinded radiologists evaluated all MR images and inter-/intraobserver variations were measured.

Results:

Both M and SCPs were significantly lower and P/M, MCPs/SCPs, and PA were significantly higher in PSP patients than the other groups ( P < .001). This significance was related to patients with PSP and PD. But all single measurements showed some overlapping values. Therefore, previously defined MRPI was calculated and shown to distinguish patients (negative predictive values: 92%, sensitivity: 78%, specificity: 82%). In this study, interobserver correlation (0.68) was found low for MRPI. Therefore, we identified a more practical index: the Akdeniz Index, which has same diagnostic power with MRPI and higher interobserver correlation (0.91).

Conclusion:

The Akdeniz Index identified in our study is a practical index with high diagnostic power and can reinforce radiological distinguishing of PSP and PD, which are clinically difficult to distinguish.
Intersectional Effects of Gender, Education, and Geographic Region on Functional Health Disparities Among Older Adults in India
Authors: Roy Moushumi , Bhatta Tirth , Burnette J. Denise
Published: January 2020

Objective: Research on social determinants of health in India has focused largely on the independent influence of education, gender, and region. Using an intersectionality framework in this study, we examine the combined effects of these three key social locators on the critical, yet underexamined outcome of later life functional health. Method: We use data from Wave 1 (2007–2010) of the Study of Global Ageing and Adult Health (SAGE) ( N = 7,150) to examine whether the effects of education on functional limitations differ by gender in six highly heterogenous regions of India. Results: The effects of education on functional limitations were significantly greater (β = .026, p < .001) for men than women. Consistent with established regional differences in economic development, cultural practices, and political context, this relationship varied across locales. Discussion: Our findings highlight the need to move beyond independent sources of heterogeneity in examining later life functional health in the global South.
Volunteering and Leisure Activity in the United Kingdom: A Longitudinal Analysis of Males and Females
Authors: Downward Paul , Hallmann Kirstin , Rasciute Simona
Published: January 2020

Theory recognizes the need to account for the allocation of time across activities as a potential constraint on volunteering. Drawing on the British Household Panel Survey (BHPS), for the first time, this article examines the decision to volunteer by males and females accounting for their engagement in other leisure activities that also involve discretionary time. Instrumental variable panel-data estimates reveal that it is only for females that volunteering is influenced by the choice of other leisure activities. This implies that males have more autonomy over their volunteering decision relative to their other leisure behavior compared with females. For males, this greater autonomy suggests that volunteering is more closely linked to the concept of “serious leisure” and a form of work as it is more distinct from other leisure activities. These differences have implications for volunteer recruitment.
Adaptive sliding mode control for chain driving system with disturbance observer
Authors: Zou Quan
Published: January 2020

The design and implementation of adaptive sliding mode control with disturbance observer for chain driving system driven by permanent magnet synchronous motor with parameter variation, meshing impact and large friction are addressed in this study. First, an adaptive model compensation control law is designed for perfect position tracking, while a nonlinear disturbance observer is investigated to estimate the normalized disturbance, which is fast changing due to the severe polygon effect, the meshing impact and so on. To further improve the robustness and the control performance, the translation-width idea is embedded into the adaptive sliding mode control with disturbance observer system, which can suppress the chattering phenomenon caused by imperfect switching in traditional sliding mode control. Moreover, the translation width is online updated using an adaptive mechanism, which is delivered in the Lyapunov sense. Thus, the stability of the closed-loop system is guaranteed in the Lyapunov stability theorem sense. Experimental results show that the proposed adaptive sliding mode control with disturbance observer scheme is insensitive to parameter variation, meshing impact, large friction and so on, and has a better control performance compared with the traditional adaptive sliding mode control and the disturbance observer–based sliding mode control.