bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
“Covering Effects” under Diurnal Temperature Variations in Arid and Semiarid Areas
Authors: Liu Feifei , Mao Xuesong , Xu Cheng , Li Yingying , Wu Qian , Zhang Jianxun
Published: February 2020

“Covering effects” dominated by water vapor migration in arid and semiarid areas threaten the stability of engineering entities. To explore the “covering effects” dominated by water vapor migration under the influence of diurnal temperature variations, a series of one‐side evaporation experiments were conducted. Characteristics of water vapor migration between the unsaturated loess soil column with and without a lid were compared in detail to illustrate the “covering effects” on water vapor migration, as were the effects of test time. Further, the characteristics of “covering effects” in loess and sand soil columns were compared. The results show that the “covering effects” formed in the loess soil column with a lid by cycling day and night temperature differences led water vapor to accumulate and condense beneath the lid. However, unlike the “covering effects” during freezing conditions that lead to a significant increase in the moisture content in the top layer, in this study, the moisture content in the top layer (0–8 cm) decreased. Although “soil lid” and the “soil covering effects” exist in both loess soil columns with and without lids, the “soil covering effects” for the former are much more obvious, and the moisture content in the upper part of the loess soil column (8–45 cm) shows a significant increase. By cycling day and night temperature differences, the “covering effects” or “soil covering effects” grew as the test time increased. Compared to the loess soil column, the “covering effects” in the sand soil column were extremely weak, and the moisture migration in the sand soil column was dominated by the downward movement liquid water. This paper illustrates the “covering effects” under the influence of diurnal temperature variations and reveals the mechanism of water vapor migration in subgrade soils in arid and semiarid areas.
CD147 Expression Is Associated with Tumor Proliferation in Bladder Cancer via GSDMD
Authors: Peng Junming , Jiang Hongtao , Guo Jinan , Huang Jiansheng , Yuan Qian , Xie Jing , Xiao Kefeng
Published: February 2020

Purpose. CD147, also known as BSG, is a type I transmembrane glycoprotein that belonged to immunoglobulin superfamily. Mature CD147 is an N‐linked glycosylated protein and exists on the transmembrane and as soluble forms in tumors. However, the function of CD147 in cell proliferation of bladder cancer (BC) remains to be elucidated. Methods. The study included 159 patients with BC and 68 healthy controls. The expression of CD147 and gasdermin D (GSDMD) was analyzed by immunohistochemistry (IHC). Western blotting was performed to detect the expression of proteins in BC cells. The relationship between CD147 and GSDMD was analyzed by the IHC score. Results. The expression of CD147 was significantly increased in BC when compared to healthy controls, and the level of CD147 was correlated with tumor proliferation characterized by Ki‐67, which is a cell proliferation antigen. In addition, CD147 treatment of BC cells increased the expression of GSDMD, leading to increased Ki‐67 expression, while CD147 blockade with peptide in BC significantly reduced GSDMD expression, resulting in reduced cell proliferation. Furthermore, overexpression of GSDMD markedly overcame the inhibitory effect of CD147 peptide on tumor proliferation. BC patients with overexpression of CD147 showed correlation with GSDMD and demonstrated significantly poorer prognosis and overall survival rate. Conclusion. These findings suggested that high expression of CD147 contributed to tumor proliferation in BC via GSDMD, which might in turn act as an unfavorable prognostic marker.
Calculating Trust Using Multiple Heterogeneous Social Networks
Authors: Imran Muhammad , Khattak Hasan Ali , Millard David , Tiropanis Thanassis , Bashir Tariq , Ahmed Ghufran
Published: February 2020

In today’s Internet, a web user becomes members of multiple social networks due to different types of services provided by each of these networks. This creates an opportunity to make trust decisions that go beyond individual social networks, since these networks provide single perspective of trust. To make trust inference over multiple social networks, these networks need to be consolidated. It is nontrivial as these networks are of heterogeneous nature due to different naming conventions used in these networks. Furthermore, trust metrics extracted from these networks are also varied in nature due to different trust evaluation algorithms used in each of these networks. Heterogeneity of these social networks can be overcome by using semantic technologies as it allows us to represent knowledge using ontologies. Trust data can be consolidated by using such data fusion techniques which not only provide but also preserve trust data integrity from each of the individual social network profiles. The proposed semantic framework is evaluated using two sets of experiments. Through simulations in this work, we analysed various techniques for data fusion. For identifying suitable technique that preserves the integrity of trust consolidated from each of the individual networks, analysis revealed that Weighted Ordered Weighted Averaging parameter best aggregated trust data, and, unlike other techniques, it preserved the integrity of trust from each individual network for varying participant overlap and tie overlap (p≤0.05). Similarly, for experimental analysis, we used findings of the simulation study about the best trust aggregation technique and applied the proposed framework on real-life trust data between participants, which we extracted from pairs of professional social networks. Analysis partially proved our hypothesis about generating better trust values from consolidated multiple heterogeneous networks. We witnessed an improvement in overall results for all the participants who were part of multiple social networks (p≤0.05), while disproving the claim for those existing in nonoverlapping regions of the social networks.
Th17 Cells and IL-17 As Novel Immune Targets in Ovarian Cancer Therapy
Authors: Bilska Monika , Pawłowska Anna , Zakrzewska Ewelina , Chudzik Agata , Suszczyk Dorota , Gogacz Marek , Wertel Iwona
Published: February 2020

Ovarian cancer (OC) is usually diagnosed at an advanced stage and is related with poor prognosis. Despite numerous studies, the pathogenesis of OC is still unknown. Recent studies indicate the role of the immune system in the development and spread of OC. The identification of factors and mechanisms involved in that process and their modulation is crucial for creating effective antitumor therapy. We investigated the potential role of Th17 cells in OC patients (n = 71) by analyzing the frequencies of Th17 cells in three different environments, i.e., peripheral blood (PB), peritoneal fluid (PF), and tissue (Th17 infiltrating cells), and the concentration of IL-17A in plasma and PF of patients in terms of their clinical and prognostic significance. Th17 cells were analyzed by flow cytometry as a percentage of CD4+ lymphocytes that expressed intracellular expression of IL-17A. The level of IL-17A in plasma and PF were determined by ELISA. Our results showed accumulation of Th17 cells among tumor-infiltrating CD4+ lymphocytes (p<0.001 in relation to PB). Moreover, the percentage of Th17 cells in both PB and PF of OC patients was significantly lower than that in benign tumors group (n = 35). There were no significant differences in the percentage of Th17 cells in PB, PF, and tissue in relation to clinicopathological characteristics of OC patients and survival. The lower percentage of Th17 cells in the PB and PF of OC patients may promote evasion of host immune response by cancer cells. The concentration of IL-17A in plasma of OC patients was higher (p<0.0001) than that in both benign tumors and control group (n = 10). The PF IL-17A level in OC patients was higher (p<0.0001) than that in women with benign ovarian tumors, indicating its synthesis in OC microenvironment. Higher IL-17A level in PF is correlated with longer (median: 36.5 vs. 27 months) survival of OC patients.
Transcatheter Closure of Perimembranous Ventricular Septal Defects Using Different Generations of Amplatzer Devices: Multicenter Experience
Authors: Mijangos-Vázquez Roberto , El-Sisi Amal , Sandoval Jones Juan P. , García-Montes José A. , Hernández-Reyes Rogelio , Sobhy Rodina , Abdelmassih Antoine , Soliman Mohammed M. , Ali Safaa , Molina-Sánchez Tatiana , Zabal Carlos
Published: February 2020

Objectives. To demonstrate safety and efficacy of using different generations of softer Amplatzer™ devices for ventricular septal defect (VSD) closure to avoid serious complications at follow-up. Background. Transcatheter closure of perimembranous ventricular septal defects (PmVSD) is a well-established procedure; however, it is associated with unacceptable incidence of complete heart block. Great advantages have been achieved by using softer devices for VSD transcatheter closure. The first and second generation of Amplatzer™ occluders (AVP II, ADO, and ADO II) seem to offer a safe and attractive alternative for this procedure. These devices can be delivered using either an arterial (retrograde) or venous (prograde) approach. Methods and Results. Patients with congenital PmVSD who underwent transcatheter closure using ADO, ADO II, and AVP II devices were included. Primary end point was to determine efficacy and safety of these generations of devices and to determine the incidence of complications at follow-up (complete AV block and aortic/tricuspid/mitral regurgitation). One hundred and nineteen patients underwent VSD closure at a median age of 5 years (8 months–54 years). During the catheterization, there were only minor complications and at follow-up of 36 ± 25.7 months (up to 99 months), the closure rate was high of 98.3% and freedom from AV block was 100%. Conclusions. The use of softer Amplatzer™ devices is a good alternative to achieve PmVSD closure safely with no risk of AVB during the procedure or at midterm follow-up.
RABL6A Is an Essential Driver of MPNSTs that Negatively Regulates the RB1 Pathway and Sensitizes Tumor Cells to CDK4/6 Inhibitors
Authors: Kohlmeyer Jordan L. , Kaemmer Courtney A. , Pulliam Casey , Maharjan Chandra K. , Samayoa Allison Moreno , Major Heather J. , Cornick Kendall E. , Knepper-Adrian Vickie , Khanna Rajesh , Sieren Jessica C. , Leidinger Mariah R. , Meyerholz David K. , Zamba K.D. , Weimer Jill M. , Dodd Rebecca D. , Darbro Benjamin W. , Tanas Munir R. , Quelle Dawn E.
Published: February 2020

Purpose:

Malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors (MPNST) are deadly sarcomas that lack effective therapies. In most MPNSTs, the retinoblastoma (RB1) tumor suppressor is disabled by hyperactivation of cyclin-dependent kinases (CDK), commonly through loss of CDK-inhibitory proteins such as p27(Kip1). RABL6A is an inhibitor of RB1 whose role in MPNSTs is unknown. To gain insight into MPNST development and establish new treatment options, we investigated RABL6A-RB1 signaling and CDK inhibitor–based therapy in MPNSTs.

Experimental Design:

We examined patient-matched MPNSTs and precursor lesions by RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq) and IHC. Molecular and biological effects of silencing RABL6A and/or p27 in MPNST lines and normal human Schwann cells were determined. Tumor-suppressive effects of CDK inhibitors were measured in MPNST cells and orthotopic tumors.

Results:

RABL6A was dramatically upregulated in human MPNSTs compared with precursor lesions, which correlated inversely with p27 levels. Silencing RABL6A caused MPNST cell death and G1 arrest that coincided with p27 upregulation, CDK downregulation, and RB1 activation. The growth-suppressive effects of RABL6A loss, and its regulation of RB1, were largely rescued by p27 depletion. Importantly, reactivation of RB1 using a CDK4/6 inhibitor (palbociclib) killed MPNST cells in vitro in an RABL6A-dependent manner and suppressed MPNST growth in vivo. Low-dose combination of drugs targeting multiple RB1 kinases (CDK4/6, CDK2) had enhanced antitumorigenic activity associated with potential MPNST cell redifferentiation.

Conclusions:

RABL6A is a new driver of MPNST pathogenesis that acts in part through p27-RB1 inactivation. Our results suggest RB1 targeted therapy with multiple pathway drugs may effectively treat MPNSTs.
MET Alterations Are a Recurring and Actionable Resistance Mechanism in ALK-Positive Lung Cancer
Authors: Dagogo-Jack Ibiayi , Yoda Satoshi , Lennerz Jochen K. , Langenbucher Adam , Lin Jessica J. , Rooney Marguerite M. , Prutisto-Chang Kylie , Oh Audris , Adams Nathaniel A. , Yeap Beow Y. , Chin Emily , Do Andrew , Marble Hetal D. , Stevens Sara E. , Digumarthy Subba R. , Saxena Ashish , Nagy Rebecca J. , Benes Cyril H. , Azzoli Christopher G. , Lawrence Michael S. , Gainor Justin F. , Shaw Alice T. , Hata Aaron N.
Published: February 2020

Purpose:

Most ALK-positive lung cancers will develop ALK-independent resistance after treatment with next-generation ALK inhibitors. MET amplification has been described in patients progressing on ALK inhibitors, but frequency of this event has not been comprehensively assessed.

Experimental Design:

We performed FISH and/or next-generation sequencing on 207 posttreatment tissue (n = 101) or plasma (n = 106) specimens from patients with ALK-positive lung cancer to detect MET genetic alterations. We evaluated ALK inhibitor sensitivity in cell lines with MET alterations and assessed antitumor activity of ALK/MET blockade in ALK-positive cell lines and 2 patients with MET-driven resistance.

Results:

MET amplification was detected in 15% of tumor biopsies from patients relapsing on next-generation ALK inhibitors, including 12% and 22% of biopsies from patients progressing on second-generation inhibitors or lorlatinib, respectively. Patients treated with a second-generation ALK inhibitor in the first-line setting were more likely to develop MET amplification than those who had received next-generation ALK inhibitors after crizotinib (P = 0.019). Two tumor specimens harbored an identical ST7-MET rearrangement, one of which had concurrent MET amplification. Expressing ST7-MET in the sensitive H3122 ALK-positive cell line induced resistance to ALK inhibitors that was reversed with dual ALK/MET inhibition. MET inhibition resensitized a patient-derived cell line harboring both ST7-MET and MET amplification to ALK inhibitors. Two patients with ALK-positive lung cancer and acquired MET alterations achieved rapid responses to ALK/MET combination therapy.

Conclusions:

Treatment with next-generation ALK inhibitors, particularly in the first-line setting, may lead to MET-driven resistance. Patients with acquired MET alterations may derive clinical benefit from therapies that target both ALK and MET.
The Increasing Importance of Friendship in Late Life: Understanding the Role of Sociohistorical Context in Social Development
Authors: Fiori Katherine L. , Windsor Tim D. , Huxhold Oliver
Published: February 2020

Historically, family ties have been understood as the primary source of support for aging adults, and past empirical and theoretical work has highlighted the tendency of older adults to focus on close family. However, in line with demographic changes and historical increases in the diversity of social structures, friendships are increasing in importance in recent generations of older adults. Given the powerful role of context in shaping these changes, this paper offers a conceptual analysis linking individual agency to sociohistorical context as a way to understand this increasing diversity of social ties. More specifically, we propose that the individual invests time and energy to form and maintain social ties, and that each individual has a specific social opportunity structure (all potential ties that are available to invest in, as well as the costs of those investments). Furthermore, this investment of time and energy is determined in part by individual differences in capacities and motivations. We argue that sociohistorical context influences this process in three important ways: (1) in its effect on the social opportunity structure; (2) in its direct effect on time and energy; and (3) in its effect on individuals’ capacities and motivations. We believe that these mechanisms can account for the increasing diversity of social ties across adulthood, as well as the potential for future historical changes.
Use of Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors/Angiotensin Receptor Blockers and Acute Kidney Disease after an Episode of AKI: A Multicenter Prospective Cohort Study
Authors: Hines Abigail , Li Xilong , Ortiz-Soriano Victor , Saleh Sherif , Litteral Jamie , Ruiz-Conejo Marice , Wald Ron , Silver Samuel A. , Neyra Javier A.
Published: February 2020

Background: Persistence of acute kidney disease (AKD) after an episode of acute kidney injury (AKI) is associated with adverse outcomes. Multiple factors contribute to AKD after AKI, but the role of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors/angiotensin II receptor blockers (ACEI/ARB) remains controversial. We examined if acute exposure to an ACEI/ARB associates with persistent AKD in survivors of AKI. Methods: Multicenter prospective cohort study of patients whose hospitalization was complicated by AKI and who attended specialized AKI follow-up clinics between 2013 and 2018. Acute exposure was defined as ACEI/ARB exposure for ≥48 h before or during the AKI episode. The primary outcome was AKD (serum creatinine ≥1.5 times above pre-AKI baseline) at the first clinic visit. We used multivariable logistic regression to adjust for potential confounders. Results: We included 345 survivors of AKI, 112 with persistent AKD at the first outpatient visit. Among 163 patients who were prescribed an ACEI/ARB before hospitalization, only 23% were discharged on an ACEI/ARB. There was no difference in the rate of AKD in patients discharged versus not discharged on an ACEI/ARB (12.5 vs. 15.0%, p = 0.530). Of the patients with AKD, 22 (19.6%) patients had acute ACEI/ARB exposure during the hospitalization. In fully adjusted models, acute exposure to an ACEI/ARB was not associated with AKD at the time of first clinic visit (median [interquartile range] 33 [18–54] days from hospital discharge). Conclusion: Acute exposure to an ACEI/ARB before or during an episode of AKI was not associated with persistent AKD at the time of first clinic visit suggesting that the receipt of such agents does not impede kidney recovery following AKI. Contrary to prevailing recommendations and current practice, the continued administration of an ACEI/ARB during an episode of AKI or initiation of these agents prior to discharge may be safe.
Scientific Concepts as Forward-Looking: How Taxonomic Structure Facilitates Conceptual Development
Authors: Bloch-Mullins Corinne L.
Published: February 2020

This paper examines the interplay between conceptual structure and the evolution of scientific concepts, arguing that concepts are fundamentally ‘forward-looking’ constructs. Drawing on empirical studies of similarity and categorization, I explicate the way in which the conceptual taxonomy highlights the ‘relevant respects’ for similarity judgments involved in categorization. I then propose that this taxonomy provides some of the cognitive underpinnings of the ongoing development of scientific concepts. I use the concept synapse to illustrate my proposal, showing how conceptual taxonomy both facilitates and constrains the accommodation of newly discovered phenomena. I end by briefly considering the implications of the proposed approach for a normative evaluation of scientific concepts.
Weather Radar Network Benefit Model for Flash Flood Casualty Reduction
Authors: Cho John Y. N. , Kurdzo James M.
Published: February 2020

A monetized flash flood casualty reduction benefit model is constructed for application to meteorological radar networks. Geospatial regression analyses show that better radar coverage of the causative rainfall improves flash flood warning performance. Enhanced flash flood warning performance is shown to decrease casualty rates. Consequently, these two effects in combination allow a model to be formed that links radar coverage to flash flood casualty rates. When this model is applied to the present-day contiguous U.S. weather radar network, results yield a flash flood–based benefit of $316 million (M) yr−1. The remaining benefit pools are more modest ($13 M yr−1 for coverage improvement and $69 M yr−1 maximum for all areas of radar quantitative precipitation estimation improvements), indicative of the existing weather radar network’s effectiveness in supporting the flash flood warning decision process.
Verification of placental growth factor and soluble-fms-like tyrosine kinase 1 assay performance in late pregnancy and their diagnostic test accuracy in women with reduced fetal movement
Authors: Armstrong-Buisseret Lindsay K , Haslam Shonagh , James Tim , Bradshaw Lucy , Heazell Alexander EP
Published: February 2020

Background

Placental growth factor (PlGF) and soluble-fms-like tyrosine kinase 1 (sFlt-1) are biomarkers of placental function used to aid the diagnosis and prediction of pregnancy complications. This work verified the analytical performance of both biomarkers and provides preliminary diagnostic accuracy data to identify adverse pregnancy outcome in women with reduced fetal movement.

Methods

Verification of sFlt-1 and PlGF assays included a comparative accuracy assessment of 24 serum samples analysed at six different sites and laboratory-specific precision estimates. The sFlt-1/PlGF ratio was assessed in serum samples obtained prospectively from 295 women with reduced fetal movement ≥36 weeks’ gestation; diagnostic accuracy was evaluated using 2 × 2 tables and area under the receiver operator characteristic (AUROC) curve.

Results

Regression analysis showed that performance between sites was good with Passing-Bablok slopes ranging from 0.96 to 1.05 (sFlt-1) and 0.93 to 1.08 (PlGF). All sites had a mean bias <15%, although there was poorer agreement at the lowest PlGF concentrations. All within- and between-batch coefficients of variation were <10%. In 289 women with an appropriately grown fetus, an sFlt-1/PlGF ratio ≥38 had a sensitivity of 0.20 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.07, 0.41), specificity of 0.88 (95% CI 0.83, 0.92) and AUROC curve of 0.58 (95% CI 0.47, 0.68) to identify adverse pregnancy outcome.

Conclusions

Analytical performance of the sFlt-1 and PlGF assays was comparable across different sites. The sensitivity of sFlt-1/PlGF to identify adverse pregnancy outcome in women with reduced fetal movement was considered acceptable, in the absence of other tests, to progress to a pilot randomized controlled trial.
Unravelling the antecedents of loneliness in the workplace
Authors: Wright Sarah , Silard Anthony
Published: February 2020

‘I am lonely’, ‘I feel lonely’, ‘I am all alone’, ‘I feel lonely at work’. Each statement conjures up different sentiments about loneliness and speaks to the myriad ways one can arrive at the conclusion that they are lonely. This everyday language gives us insight into the mechanics of what loneliness is, what it is not, how it can manifest, and how being lonely is variously perceived in our social environments. Loneliness indicates that our relational life is unsatisfying in some way and implies a yearning for connection. The perception of loneliness is magnified in social contexts such as the workplace, yet because loneliness is often perceived as a shameful topic that is stigmatised, trivialised, or ignored, it is not something we often hear revealed within organisations. How does loneliness develop in the workplace? This article introduces a process model to help us understand how loneliness at work can manifest. Because the literature on workplace loneliness is far from mature, we use multidisciplinary research on various aspects of loneliness, relationships, and organisations to help develop a conceptual model of loneliness in the context of the workplace. Lastly, the article outlines future research directions for the study of workplace loneliness.
Tour Conductor Playfulness: Conceptualizing and Scale Development
Authors: Cheng Tien-Ming , Chen Mei-Tsun , Wu Cheng-Ho
Published: February 2020

The purpose of this study is to conceptualize a construct of Tour Conductor Playfulness (TCP) and establish a set of reliable and valid measures for TCP. The construct of TCP introduces a new concept in tourism research, while also extending the application of playfulness theory. TCP also can help businesses train employees and serve as a tool for human resource management. Study 1 produced initial items through in-depth interviews and content analysis, and study 2 conducted two sample collections. First, an exploratory factor analysis was performed by investigating 253 tour conductors, and four factors were identified: playful guiding, enthusiastic guiding, creative guiding, and engaged guiding. Second, this scale was validated with a new sample of 396 tour conductors. We verified the reliability of the TCP scale through confirmatory factor analysis, convergent validity, and discriminant validity to finally obtain 23 items. Implications and suggestions for future research are provided.
Who Owns the Lunger Building? Disease, Property, and the Limits of Accountability in Tenement Reform in St. Louis, 1832-1917
Authors: Desloge Taylor
Published: February 2020

This article traces the rise and fall of an urban land tenure system in an industrializing American city, St. Louis, alongside efforts to regulate it in the name of health. Historians of tenement reform have placed the question of accountability at the center of reformist critiques of housing conditions in 19th- and early-twentieth-century America. Few, however, have incorporated informal and temporary housing into their analyses. This article argues that these spaces were both common and vital to the rise of St. Louis’ cyclical and often transient market in unskilled labor. Reformers, operating from an antebellum-era conception of property, sought to create a system of accountability that placed the burden of healthfulness on landlords. Yet, St. Louis’ emerging labor market undermined the accountability they sought. Confronted with a crisis of housing affordability, reformers failed to question the market or look beyond property regulation alone as a means to protect health.
The Self-perpetuating Cycle of Shame and Self-injury
Authors: Gunnarsson Nina Veetnisha
Published: February 2020

Although previous studies have considered shame to be a significant emotion in making sense of self-injury, the connection is still not fully understood. Drawing on sociological ideas on shame, this communication contributes to a theoretical understanding of actions of self-injury by demonstrating how shame operates and unfolds in social interaction. It argues for how shame and self-injury may reproduce and amplify each other, hence turning into a self-perpetuating cycle of shame and self-injury. It shows how shame is triggered in social interaction, how shame leads to self-injury, and how self-injury may turn into more shame. Self-injury is used to fend off shame by upholding social and cultural commitments and maintaining social bonds with others. However, self-injury may also threaten social order and social bonds and, consequently, trigger more shame. The most important reason that self-injury does not fully work as emotion work, and internalized social control, lies in the interactive cycle of shame, that is, you feel shame and cut, you cut again and are (a)shamed, you are shamed and cut, and so on. It is proposed that people who self-injure do not necessarily lack the ability to self-soothe or regulate emotions or that they suffer from a clinical psychopathology.
How do IT outsourcing vendors develop capabilities? An organizational ambidexterity perspective on a multi-case study
Authors: Du Wenyu (Derek) , Pan Shan L. , Wu Junjie
Published: February 2020

Vendor capabilities are an important research stream in the IT outsourcing literature. The extant studies have generated rich findings on how vendors develop capabilities, but these findings have mainly been based on the condition of vendors improving their existing business. How vendors develop capabilities to move up the value chain has received little prior research attention. A key challenge for vendors in moving up the value chain is the development of new capabilities while maintaining the existing ones. This challenge is consistent with achieving exploration and exploitation in organizational ambidexterity. Hence, we adopt organizational ambidexterity as our theoretical lens. By conducting a case study on four IT outsourcing vendors in China, we identify four classifications for achieving ambidexterity in capability development and the context for each classification. These classifications are based on combinations of different structural arrangements and processes for achieving ambidexterity. Our study contributes to the research on IT outsourcing vendor capabilities by improving our understanding of capability development in vendors moving up the value chain. It also contributes to the organizational ambidexterity literature by identifying the factors that influence the choices of different structural arrangements and processes.
Understanding usual care in randomised controlled trials of complex interventions: A multi-method approach
Authors: Yorganci Emel , Evans Catherine J , Johnson Halle , Barclay Stephen , Murtagh Fliss EM , Yi Deokhee , Gao Wei , Pickles Andrew , Koffman Jonathan
Published: February 2020

Background:

Evaluations of complex interventions compared to usual care provided in palliative care are increasing. Not describing usual care may affect the interpretation of an intervention’s effectiveness, yet how it can be described remains unclear.

Aim:

To demonstrate the feasibility of using multi-methods to describe usual care provided in randomised controlled trials (RCTs) of complex interventions, shown within a feasibility cluster RCT.

Design:

Multi-method approach comprising usual care questionnaires, baseline case note review and focus groups with ward staff completed at study end. Thematic analysis of qualitative data, descriptive statistics of quantitative data, followed by methodological triangulation to appraise approach in relation to study aim.

Setting/participants:

Four general medical wards chosen from UK hospitals. Purposive sampling of healthcare professionals for usual care questionnaires, and focus groups. Review of 20 patients’ notes from each ward who died during admission or within 100 days of discharge.

Results:

Twenty-three usual care questionnaires at baseline, two focus groups comprising 20 healthcare professionals and 80 case note reviews. Triangulation of findings resulted in understanding the usual care provided to the targeted population in terms of context, structures, processes and outcomes for patients, families and healthcare professionals. Usual care was described, highlighting (1) similarities and embedded practices, (2) heterogeneity and (3) subtle changes in care during the trial within and across sites.

Conclusions:

We provide a feasible approach to defining usual care that can be practically adopted in different settings. Understanding usual care enhances the reliability of tested complex interventions, and informs research and policy priorities.
Immersion Foot Syndrome in 6 Equids Exposed to Hurricane Floodwaters
Authors: Taylor Brianne M. , Chaffin M. Keith , Hoffmann Aline Rodrigues , Edwards John F. , Arenas-Gamboa Angela M.
Published: February 2020

Prolonged exposure to water, known as immersion foot syndrome in humans, is a phenomenon first described in soldiers during World War I and characterized by dermal ischemic necrosis. In this report, we describe the pathologic findings of a condition resembling immersion foot syndrome in 5 horses and 1 donkey with prolonged floodwater exposure during Hurricane Harvey. At necropsy, all animals had dermal defects ventral to a sharply demarcated “water line” along the lateral trunk. In 5 animals, histologic examination revealed moderate to severe perivascular dermatitis with vasculitis and coagulative necrosis consistent with ischemia. The severity of the lesions progressed from ventral trunk to distal limbs and became more pronounced in the chronic cases. The pathophysiology of immersion foot syndrome is multifactorial and results from changes in the dermal microvasculature leading to thrombosis and ischemia. Prompt recognition of this disease may lead to appropriate patient management and decreased morbidity.
Canine Thyroid Cancer: Molecular Characterization and Cell Line Growth in Nude Mice
Authors: Hassan Bardes B. , Altstadt Lucas A. , Dirksen Wessel P. , Elshafae Said M. , Rosol Thomas J.
Published: February 2020

Thyroid cancer is the most common endocrine malignancy in dogs. Dogs and humans are similar in the spontaneous development of thyroid cancer and metastasis to lungs; however, thyroid cancer has a higher incidence of metastasis in dogs. This study developed a preclinical nude mouse model of canine thyroid cancer using a canine thyroid adenocarcinoma cell line (CTAC) and measured the expression of important invasion and metastasis genes in spontaneous canine thyroid carcinomas and CTAC cells. CTAC cells were examined by electron microscopy. Short tandem repeat analysis was performed for both the original neoplasm and CTAC cells. CTAC cells were transduced with luciferase and injected subcutaneously and into the tail vein. Tumors and metastases were monitored using bioluminescent imaging and confirmed with gross necropsy and histopathology. Invasion and metastasis genes were characterized in 8 follicular thyroid carcinomas (FTCs), 4 C-cell thyroid carcinomas, 3 normal thyroids, and CTAC cells. CTAC cells grew well as xenografts in the subcutis, and they resembled the primary neoplasm. Metastasis to the kidney and lung occurred infrequently following subcutaneous and tail vein injection of CTAC cells. STR analysis confirmed that CTAC cells were derived from the original neoplasm and were of canine origin. Finally, 24 genes were differentially expressed in spontaneous canine thyroid carcinomas, CTAC, and normal thyroids. This study demonstrated the usefulness of a nude mouse model of experimental canine thyroid carcinoma and identified potential molecular targets of canine follicular and C-cell thyroid carcinoma.
Minnesota Department of Transportation Case Studies for Coreless Asphalt Pavement Compaction Assessment
Authors: Hoegh Kyle , Steiner Trevor , Zegeye Teshale Eyoab , Dai Shongtao
Published: February 2020

Available methods for assessing hot-mix-asphalt pavements are typically restricted to destructive methods such as coring that damage the pavement and are limited in coverage. Recently, density profiling systems (DPS) have become available with the capability of measuring asphalt compaction continuously, giving instantaneous measurements a few hundred feet behind the final roller of the freshly placed pavement. Further developments of the methods involved with DPS processing have allowed for coreless calibration by correlating dielectric measurements with asphalt specimens fabricated at variable air void contents using superpave gyratory compaction. These developments make DPS technology an attractive potential tool for quality control because of the real-time nature of the results, and quality assurance because of the ability to measure a more statistically significant amount of data as compared with current quality assurance methods such as coring. To test the viability of these recently developed methods for implementation, multiple projects were selected for field trials. Each field trial was used to assess the coreless calibration prediction by comparing with field cores where dielectric measurements were made. Ground truth core validation on each project showed the reasonableness of the coreless calibration method. The validated dielectric to air void prediction curves allowed for assessment of the tested pavements in relation to as-built characteristics, with the DPS providing the equivalent of approximately 100,000 cores per mile. Statistical measures were used to demonstrate how DPS can provide a comprehensive asphalt compaction evaluation that can be used to inform construction-related decisions and has potential as a future quality assurance tool.
The Effect of Consumers’ Perceived Power and Risk in Digital Information Privacy: The Example of Cookie Notices
Authors: Bornschein Rico , Schmidt Lennard , Maier Erik
Published: February 2020

Recent regulation in the European Union (i.e., the General Data Protection Regulation) affects websites’ information privacy practices. This regulation addresses two dimensions: websites must (1) provide visible notice regarding private information they collect through cookies and (2) give consumers the choice to disagree to such tracking. Policy makers must understand their regulation’s degree of implementation, as well as its effect on consumers. The authors develop a typology of website cookie notices along the dimensions of notice visibility and choice. A field study shows that most websites only offer low notice visibility and limited choice over private information collection. In addition, four experimental studies in the EU and United States explore the effects of information privacy practices. They find that offering choice over whether or which data are collected increases consumer power, whereas visibility of the notice (vs. no notice) only affects risk perceptions. The authors establish the novel suggestion that perceived risk is mitigated if consumers have more choice over their data (indirectly through greater power). Power and risk influence consumers’ affect and purchase intent.
Management of Hepatic Coagulopathy in Bleeding and Nonbleeding Patients: An Evidence-Based Review
Authors: Lange Nicholas W. , Salerno David M. , Berger Karen , Cushing Melissa M. , Brown Robert S.
Published: February 2020

Patients with varying degrees of hepatic dysfunction often present with presumed bleeding diathesis based on interpretation of routine measures of coagulation (prothrombin time [PT], international normalized ratio [INR], and activated partial thromboplastin time). However, standard markers of coagulation do not reflect the actual bleeding risk in this population and may lead to inappropriate administration of hemostatic agents and blood products. The concept of “rebalanced hemostasis” explains both the risk of bleeding and clotting seen in patients with liver dysfunction. The role of pharmacologic agents and blood products for prevention of bleeding during high-risk procedures and treatment of clinically significant bleeding remains unclear. Viscoelastic measurements of the clotting cascade provide information about platelets, fibrinogen/fibrin polymerization, coagulation factors, and fibrinolysis that might better represent hemostasis in vivo and may better inform management strategies. Due to the paucity of available data, firm recommendations for the use of blood products and pharmacologic agents in patients with hepatic coagulopathies are lacking, and thus, these products should not be routinely administered. Traditional laboratory tests such as PT/INR should not be the sole determinant of potential interventions. Rather, clinicians should assess factors such as the severity of bleed or bleeding risk of the procedure, the patient’s risk of thromboembolism, and the strength of available evidence for specific agents and blood products to guide decision-making.
Exploring the Fragmentation of the Representation of Data-Driven Journalism in the Twittersphere: A Network Analytics Approach
Authors: Zhang Xinzhi , Ho Jeffrey C. F.
Published: February 2020

As an interdisciplinary field, data-driven journalism integrates the intellectual origins of investigative journalism, computer-assisted reporting, and the emerging paradigm of computational social science. Studies of news production have revealed, however, that news professionals are reinforcing existing power structures via an interpretive community, where homophily-evoked social interactions—even in the social media context—create echo chambers and discussion fragmentation. Is the representation of data-driven journalism in the electronic public sphere breaking boundaries among people from different domains or does it resemble the existing power structure? This study adopts a network analytics approach and constructs a representational network among actors who joined the public discussion of data-driven journalism in the Twittersphere—the co-retweeted network—such that two accounts are connected if their tweets are retweeted by the same user. Public tweets containing search queries related to data-driven journalism published from February 2017 to February 2018 were collected with Twitter real-time streaming application programming interface (API). A co-retweeted network with 1,148 accounts was derived from verified accounts’ retweeting posts. Results found that several communities emerged, and news organizations, nongovernmental and nonprofit professional organizations, and academic institutions were in the crucial positions of the network. The exponential random graph models (ERGMs) based on this network revealed the extent to which gender, geographical location, and institutional type of the users were associated with the tie-formation. This study documents the major actors who are discussing the subject of data-driven journalism and raises critical reflections toward the interdisciplinary collaboration in the production of public knowledge.
Theory-Driven Analysis of Large Corpora: Semisupervised Topic Classification of the UN Speeches
Authors: Watanabe Kohei , Zhou Yuan
Published: February 2020

There is a growing interest in quantitative analysis of large corpora among the international relations (IR) scholars, but many of them find it difficult to perform analysis consistently with existing theoretical frameworks using unsupervised machine learning models to further develop the field. To solve this problem, we created a set of techniques that utilize a semisupervised model that allows researchers to classify documents into predefined categories efficiently. We propose a dictionary making procedure to avoid inclusion of words that are likely to confuse the model and deteriorate the its classification performance classification accuracy using a new entropy-based diagnostic tool. In our experiments, we classify sentences of the United Nations General Assembly speeches into six predefined categories using the seeded Latent Dirichlet allocation and Newsmap, which were trained with a small “seed word dictionary” that we created following the procedure. The result shows that, while keyword dictionary can only classify 25% of sentences, Newsmap can classify over 60% of them accurately correctly and; its accuracy exceeds 70% when contextual information is taken into consideration by kernel smoothing of topic likelihoods. We argue that once seed word dictionaries are created by the international relations community, semisupervised models would become more useful than unsupervised models for theory-driven text analysis.
Bupropion With Clozapine: Case Reports of Seizure After Coadministration
Authors: Schmitz Allison , Botner Brandon , Hund Morris
Published: February 2020

Background:

Clozapine is more effective than other atypical antipsychotics for treatment resistant schizophrenia, but has serious side effects. Clozapine has an estimated cumulative seizure risk of 10% in patients treated for 3.8 years. Bupropion can also induce seizures and its estimated risk is 0.4% at recommended doses. While some risk factors for seizures are known, much remains unknown about predicting seizure risk. Cases: We present 2 cases of seizures in patients treated with clozapine and bupropion without a seizure history. In the first case, a patient with schizoaffective disorder treated with dual antipsychotic therapy had a witnessed generalized tonic–clonic seizure. With the exception of bupropion/naltrexone which was started 2.5 months prior for weight loss, she had not had any recent medication changes. In the second case, a patient with schizoaffective disorder was treated with clozapine and was prescribed bupropion SR for smoking cessation for an extended duration. He had cut back on cigarette use in the 2 months prior to reporting “spells.” The neurologist’s assessment was probable epileptic seizures which resolved after the bupropion was stopped and divalproex was started for seizure prophylaxis.

Conclusion:

Clozapine and bupropion are known to lower the seizure threshold, but little information is available regarding the risk when used in combination. It is unclear whether these agents, when used in combination, have additive seizure risk or possible synergistic effects. Bupropion should be used cautiously in patients treated with clozapine. Safer agents that do not lower the seizure threshold should be utilized whenever possible.
The Holocene history of a tropical high-altitude lake in central Mexico
Authors: Caballero Margarita , Zawisza Edyta , Hernández Martín , Lozano-García Socorro , Ruiz-Córdova Juan Pablo , Waters Matthew N , Ortega Guerrero Beatriz
Published: February 2020

High-altitude lakes are sensitive to modern and past climate changes. Given their low-water temperatures, alkalinity, and nutrient levels, small climatic differences can strongly affect their water chemistry, and/or biodiversity. In central Mexico, there are only two high-altitude lakes, and both are within the crater of the Nevado de Toluca volcano. Here, we present a paleolimnological record from one of these lakes: La Luna. Previous paleoenvironmental work showed that it was sensitive to the Little Ice Age (LIA) cooling. Our results show that sediment accumulation began ~6900 to 6100 cal. yr BP under periglacial conditions and that lake conditions were established ~6000 cal. yr BP. One tephra layer was dated to ~5600 cal. yr BP, with no evidence of more recent volcanic activity. The early stages of this lake (6000–4700 cal. yr BP) contained Cladocera and diatom assemblages with different species composition than modern assemblages. This early stage community structure was related to more mesic conditions and cooler winters inferred by the high abundance of planktonic Aulacoseira nivaloides and of Chydorus cf. sphaericus. The establishment of modern limnological conditions after 4700 cal. yr BP is inferred from Cladocera and diatom assemblages similar to recent samples. A reduction in A. nivaloides and low magnetic-susceptibility values suggest lower lakes levels, a trend consistent with lower available moisture in central Mexico after 4000 cal. yr BP. The rest of the sequence shows the impact of two cold periods, the first one around 3000 cal. yr BP, identified by a new increase in Chydorus cf. sphaericus. The second was the larger impact associated with the LIA (AD 1350–1910), and an increase in Cavinula pseudoscutiformis and Pinnularia microstauron suggesting an increase in lake water pH. Also, organic matter and photosynthetic pigments increased during this period showing an increase in nutrient levels and productivity. Finally, the coldest interval during the LIA (AD 1570–1890) is identified by an important reduction in arboreal pollen concentration which points to a wider environmental impact of this cold event.