bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Proactive VNF Scaling with Heterogeneous Cloud Resources: Fusing Long Short-Term Memory Prediction and Cooperative Allocation
Authors: Xu Ran
Published: January 2020

Network function virtualization (NFV) is designed to implement network functions by software that replaces proprietary hardware devices in traditional networks. In response to the growing demand of resource-intensive services, for NFV cloud service providers, software-oriented network functions face a number of challenges, such as dynamic deployment of virtual network functions and efficient allocation of multiple resources. This study aims at the dynamic allocation and adjustment of network multiresources and multitype flows for NFV. First, to seek a proactive approach to provision new instances for overloaded VNFs ahead of time, a model called long short-term memory recurrent neural network (LSTM RNN) is proposed to estimate flows in this paper. Then, based on the estimated flow, a cooperative and complementary resource allocation algorithm is designed to reduce resource fragmentation and improve the utilization. The final results demonstrate the advantage of the LSTM model on predicting the network function flow requirements, and our algorithm achieves good results and performance improvement in dynamically expanding network functions and improving resource utilization.
Is the Recurrence of Fibroma of the Tendon Sheath Underestimated? An Instructive Case Report and a Review of the Literature
Authors: Lüdke E. , Kohut G. , Bäcker H. C. , Maniglio M.
Published: January 2020

We report a case of a 21-year-old healthy woman with a history of a painful growing mass in the palm of the right hand, with a trigger finger phenomenon. The mass was surgically entirely excised, and the histological findings of the tumor were those of a fibroma of the tendon sheath (FTS) starting from the flexor tendons. Although the initial outcome was good, the patient experienced the same symptoms at the same location 4.5 years later. The MRI demonstrated a 50×10×5 mm mass of low intensity on T1-weighted images and high intensity on T2-weighted images and gadolinium enhancement. A second complete excision of the tumor was performed by the same senior surgeon, and the histology confirmed the recurrence of the FTS. We also reviewed the scientific literature about FTS in the hand. Most recent studies show a low rate or no recurrence at all. We hypothesize that a lot of recurrences are missed because of a short follow-up and that the recurrence rate may be higher than thought.
MHCOOS: An Offline-Online Certificateless Signature Scheme for M-Health Devices
Authors: Addobea Abigail Akosua , Hou Jun , Li Qianmu
Published: January 2020

Current trends of mobile technology have seen a tremendous growth in its application in smart healthcare. This has resulted in the adoption and implementation of mobile health (m-health) systems by providing health assistance to the aging population. Despite its advantageous benefits, its computational complexities cannot be overlooked. M-health devices are portable processing tiny equipment with limited computational capabilities thereby making them complex for the implementation of public key cryptosystems. In spite of this, an Offline-Online signature scheme called the MHCOOS has been proposed to solve the difficulties in the computational ability. The scheme enjoys the following benefits by splitting the signing part into both offline and online phases. The offline phase performs heavy computations when a message is absent, whereas lighter computations are performed at the online stage when a message is present. Secondly, the online computations are extremely fast due to the already computed offline signature value and lighter pairings involved. Our performance analysis demonstrates how the proposed scheme outperforms other schemes. Finally, the hardness of the scheme is proven under the Bilinear Diffie–Hellman (BDH) and Computational Diffie–Hellman (CDH) problem in the random oracle model.
Concise Review: The Regulatory Mechanism of Lysine Acetylation in Mesenchymal Stem Cell Differentiation
Authors: Yang Hong , Liu Yuexia , Liu Xuanchen , Gu Huihui , Zhang Jing , Sun Chao
Published: January 2020

Nowadays, the use of MSCs has attracted considerable attention in the global science and technology field, with the self-renewal and multidirectional differentiation potential for diabetes, obesity treatment, bone repair, nerve repair, myocardial repair, and so on. Epigenetics plays an important role in the regulation of mesenchymal stem cell differentiation, which has become a research hotspot in the medical field. This review focuses on the role of lysine acetylation modification on the determination of MSC differentiation direction. During this progress, the recruitment of lysine acetyltransferases (KATs) and lysine deacetylases (KDACs) is the crux of transcriptional mechanisms in the dynamic regulation of key genes controlling MSC multidirectional differentiation.
Skin Cancer Prevalence in Outdoor Workers of Ski Resorts
Authors: Gilaberte Yolanda , Casanova Josep Manel , García-Malinis Ana Julia , Arias-Santiago Salvador , García de la Fuente Maria Reyes , Pamiés-Gracia Marta , Ramirez-Palomino Javier , Ruiz-Campos Isabel , Gracia-Cazaña Tamara , Buendia-Eisman Agustín
Published: January 2020

Background. Snow reflectivity and altitude increase the exposure of ski resort workers to solar ultraviolet radiation. The aim was to assess the presence of skin cancer in ski resorts workers and compare it with other groups of outdoor workers reviewing published studies. Methods. An observational cross-sectional prospective study was conducted in the three largest ski resorts in Spain: Baqueira Beret, Lleida; Formigal, Huesca and Sierra Nevada, Granada. All outdoor workers including ski instructors were invited to participate in the study. The participants completed a validated questionnaire about sun exposure and underwent a skin examination. Results. 219 workers were included in the study (80% male; mean age 43.8 (SD 11.31) years). Actinic keratosis (AK) but no other skin cancers were detected in 32 participants (14.62%). Those with AK worked in the Southernmost ski resort, were more likely to have light colour hair, and were older and with higher photoaging grade than those without them. Conclusion. Compared to other studies, outdoor workers on ski resorts show a higher prevalence of AK than general population but a lower prevalence than other groups of outdoor workers.
Patients with Multiple Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders (FGIDs) Show Increased Illness Severity: A Cross-Sectional Study in a Tertiary Care FGID Specialty Clinic
Authors: Berens Sabrina , Engel Felicitas , Gauss Annika , Tesarz Jonas , Herzog Wolfgang , Niesler Beate , Stroe-Kunold Esther , Schaefert Rainer
Published: January 2020

Objectives. Overlaps between different functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGIDs) are common. However, little is known about the impact of this overlap on patients’ health status. This study is aimed at analyzing the differences between patients with multiple as compared to one single FGID. Methods. A retrospective, cross-sectional study was conducted with patients presenting to a tertiary care FGID specialty clinic between 06/2012 and 01/2015 (n=294). They were characterized primarily according to their GI symptom severity (IBS-SSS) and secondarily to their physical as well as psychosocial symptom burden, quality of life, health care utilization, and work-related impairment. Differences between patients with >1 vs. 1 FGID were analyzed. Results. Of the 294 patients, 92.2% fulfilled the Rome III criteria for any FGID, and 48.0% had >1 FGIDs. FGID patients had a median age of 38 [23.0] years; 72.0% were female. Median GI symptom severity (IBS-SSS) scores were 339 [126] and 232 [163] in patients with >1 and 1 FGID, respectively (p<.001). Furthermore, patients with >1 FGIDs had higher general somatic symptom severity, higher illness anxiety, lower quality of life, and more work-related impairment. Almost no differences were found regarding their somatic as well as mental comorbidities. Conclusions. Multiple FGIDs are associated with an increased risk for complicated courses of illness as reflected in higher GI and somatic symptom severity, as well as stronger psychosocial and diet- and work-related impairment. Stepped and interdisciplinary models of care including psychosocial expertise and dietary advice are needed, especially for patients with multiple FGIDs.
Immune Response in H. pylori-Associated Gastritis and Gastric Cancer
Authors: Niu Qingbin , Zhu Jun , Yu Xingquan , Feng Tao , Ji Hong , Li Yuming , Zhang Weiwei , Hu Baoguang
Published: January 2020

Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is the dominant member of the gastric microbiota and has infected more than half of the human population, of whom 5–15% develop gastric diseases ranging from gastritis and metaplasia to gastric cancer. These diseases always follow inflammation induced by cell surface and intracellular receptors and subsequent signaling, such as the NF-κB pathway and inflammasomes. Some types of immune cells are recruited to enforce an antibacterial response, which could be impeded by H. pylori virulence factors with or without a specific immune cell. Following decreased inflammation, neoplasm may appear with a little immune surveillance and may inhibit antitumor immunity. Therefore, the balance between H. pylori-associated inflammation and anti-inflammation is crucial for human health and remains to be determined. Here, we discuss multiple inflammation and immunoregulatory cells in gastritis and summarize the main immune evasion strategies employed by gastric cancer.
Bariatric Surgery Impacts Levels of Serum Lipids during Pregnancy
Authors: Bozkurt Latife , Göbl Christian S. , Leutner Michael , Eppel Wolfgang , Kautzky-Willer Alexandra
Published: January 2020

Introduction: Bariatric surgery confers a high risk for nutritional deficiencies that could affect physiologic adaptation of lipids during pregnancy. We aimed to evaluate differences in serum lipids in pregnant women after bariatric surgery compared to obese and lean mothers. Methods: 25 women with a history of Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB), 19 obese and 19 normal-weight controls were included at the 24th–28th gestational week for determination of fasting lipids with follow-up in a subgroup after delivery. Data on neonatal biometry were additionally assessed. Results: Women after RYGB showed lower total-cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein C (LDL-C), non-high-density lipoprotein C (non-HDL-C) and triglycerides (TG) compared to obese mothers. Despite their higher BMI, women after RYGB showed lower TC, LDL-C and non-HDL-C than normal-weight mothers. Ultrasensitive C-reactive protein was lower in RYGB mothers than in obese ones, reaching values of lean controls. Differences remained unchanged in BMI-matched comparison. Birth weight percentiles of RYGB offspring were associated with maternal TC (r = 0.59, p = 0.021), LDL-C (r = 0.71, p = 0.003), non-HDL (r = 0.59, p = 0.021) but not HDL-C or TG. After delivery, lipids decreased in all women; however, TC and LDL-C showed more attenuated decline in mothers after RYGB than control women. Conclusion: Pregnancies after RYGB show alterations of physiologic patterns in lipid profile. Further studies are required to evaluate whether imbalances in maternal lipids constitute a risk for abnormal fetal growth in this special cohort.
How to Best Detect Portal Vein Tumor Thrombosis in Patients with Hepatocellular Carcinoma Meeting the Milan Criteria: Gadoxetic Acid-Enhanced MRI versus Contrast-Enhanced CT
Authors: Bae Jae Seok , Lee Jeong Min , Yoon Jeong Hee , Jang Siwon , Chung Jin Wook , Lee Kyung Bun , Yi Nam-Joon , Lee Jeong-Hoon
Published: January 2020

Introduction: The detection of portal vein tumor thrombosis (PVTT) in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) meeting the Milan criteria is of critical importance as PVTT is known to be a contraindication to transplantation and an indicator of a dismal prognosis. Objective: To determine which modality may best detect PVTT, we compared the diagnostic performance of gadoxetic acid-enhanced MRI (GA-MRI) and contrast-enhanced CT (CECT) in HCC patients meeting the Milan criteria. Methods: We retrospectively enrolled 310 patients with HCCs meeting the Milan criteria who underwent both GA-MRI and CECT between June 2007 and May 2017. Among them, 44 patients were demonstrated to have PVTT while 266 patients had no PVTT. Two radiologists then assessed GA-MRI and CECT images for the presence of PVTT on a 5-point scale as well as vessel expansion, continuity with tumors, and enhancement on both modalities, as well as T2 hyperintensity and diffusion restriction on GA-MRI. The McNemar test was used to compare sensitivity and specificity of GA-MRI and CECT for the detection of PVTT, and Fisher’s exact test was used to compare their imaging features. Results: GA-MRI showed higher sensitivity values than CECT in detecting PVTT (reviewer 1, 93.2% [41/44] vs. 77.3% [34/44]; reviewer 2, 88.6% [39/44] vs. 70.5% [31/44]) (both p = 0.039). Specificity of GA-MRI and CECT demonstrated no difference (reviewer 1, 95.5% [254/266] vs. 95.1% [253/266]; reviewer 2, 97.0% [258/266] vs. 97.4% [259/266]) (both p > 0.999). Continuity with tumors and enhancement were more frequently observed on GA-MRI than on CECT (p < 0.050, both reviewers). Conclusion: GA-MRI detected PVTT more often than CECT in HCC patients meeting the Milan criteria and better depicted PVTT in continuity with tumors and those showing enhancement than CECT.
Byron e o byronismo no centro da epistémê moderna
Authors: Sampaio Pedro Ivan Moreira de , Pinto Pedro Augusto
Published: January 2020

Este artigo tem como objetivo apresentar a identidade do eu lírico dito byroniano (seja na obra do poeta inglês, seja na obra de autores direta e sabidamente por ele influenciados) com a figura do homem, epicentro da epistémê moderna, consoante apresentado por Foucault em seus escritos dos anos de 1960. Tendo como eixo condutor o poema The Prophecy of Dante, acrescido de outras obras em verso, mostra-se na poesia a construção de um eu cujas características coincidem com a descrição do homem apresentada por Foucault, notoriamente, em As palavras e as coisas.
Um Foucault neoliberal?, de Edgardo Castro
Authors: Marino Mario Antunes
Published: January 2020

Este artigo trata dos cursos de Michel Foucault dos anos de 1978 e 1979 sobre o liberalismo e o neoliberalismo. A partir desses cursos, propõe elucidar suas circunstâncias históricas, a concepção do liberalismo como racionalidade política crítica e sua projeção nas pesquisas posteriores do autor. Nesse sentido, traz também algumas considerações críticas acerca da recepção da relação de Foucault com o pensamento liberal e neoliberal.
Obrigação política e a sociedade aberta, de Alessandro Passerin D’Entrèves
Authors: Pardo Maísa Martorano Suarez
Published: January 2020

O presente artigo é resultado de uma conferência realizada entre 28 de Junho e 04 de Julho de 1972, na Villa Serbelloni pertencente à Fundação Rockefeller em Bellagio, na Itália. Diversos pesquisadores proeminentes se reuniram para debater o conceito de Sociedade Aberta em seus diversos aspectos. A contribuição de Passerin d’Entrèves, como ele mesmo afirma, dirige-se a aspectos práticos e necessários para a realização da sociedade aberta. Em sua abordagem, ele relaciona tal conceito ao de obrigação política, uma noção amplamente discutida ao longo de toda sua obra e vida como professor e pesquisador.
Accumulation of Deficits as a Key Risk Factor for Cardiovascular Morbidity and Mortality: A Pooled Analysis of 154 000 Individuals
Authors: Farooqi Mohammed A. M. , Gerstein Hertzel , Yusuf Salim , Leong Darryl P.
Published: January 2020

Background

Frailty is associated with higher mortality in individuals at high cardiovascular disease (
CVD
) risk. We hypothesize that frailty is a more important prognostic factor than
CVD
risk factors and aim to determine the prognostic value of a cumulative deficit frailty index in patients with or at high risk for
CVD
.

Methods and Results

We conducted an individual‐level pooled analysis of participants with or at risk for
CVD
, recruited in 14 multicenter clinical trials. The cumulative deficit index was calculated as the proportion of 26 deficits exhibited. Individuals were categorized as nonfrail, prefrail, or frail if they had indexes of ≤0.1, >0.1 to 0.21, or >0.21, respectively.
CVD
risk was assessed using the Framingham score. Outcomes included
CVD
event (new or recurrent myocardial infarction, stroke, or heart failure) and mortality. We studied 154 696 patients (mean age, 70.8 years; 63% men) with median follow‐up of 3.2 years. There were 17 535
CVD
events and 15 067 deaths. The frail group (n=13 872) had higher risk of a
CVD
event (incidence rate ratio, 1.97; 95%
CI
, 1.85–2.08), all‐cause mortality (hazard ratio, 1.91; 95%
CI
, 1.79–2.03), and
CVD
mortality (hazard ratio, 1.91; 95%
CI
, 1.77–2.05) than the nonfrail group (n=101 343). Associations remained unchanged after adjusting for
CVD
risk factors. The index statistically outperformed the Framingham score in its ability to discriminate
CVD
events (C‐statistic, 0.60 [95%
CI
, 0.60–0.61] versus 0.58 [95%
CI
, 0.57–0.58], respectively;
P
<0.001).

Conclusions

In individuals with or at high risk of developing
CVD
, the cumulative deficit index is associated with increased
CVD
events and mortality, independent of
CVD
risk factors, and adds incremental prognostic value.
Comparison of Eulerian Bin and Lagrangian Particle-Based Schemes in Simulations of Pi Chamber Dynamics and Microphysics
Authors: Grabowski Wojciech W.
Published: January 2020

This paper presents a comparison of simulations applying either a traditional Eulerian bin microphysics or a novel particle-based Lagrangian approach to represent CCN activation and cloud droplet growth. The Eulerian microphysics solve the evolution equation for the spectral density function, whereas the Lagrangian approach follows computational particles referred to as superdroplets. Each superdroplet represents a multiplicity of natural droplets that makes the Lagrangian approach computationally feasible. The two schemes apply identical representation of CCN activation and use the same droplet growth equation; these make direct comparison between the two schemes practical. The comparison, the first of its kind, applies an idealized simulation setup motivated by laboratory experiments with the Pi Chamber and previous model simulations of the Pi Chamber dynamics and microphysics. The Pi Chamber laboratory apparatus considers interactions between turbulence, CCN activation, and cloud droplet growth in moist Rayleigh–Bénard convection. Simulated steady-state droplet spectra averaged over the entire chamber are similar, with the mean droplet concentration, mean radius, and spectral width close in Eulerian and Lagrangian simulations. Small differences that do exist are explained by the inherent differences between the two schemes and their numerical implementation. The local droplet spectra differ substantially, again in agreement with the inherent limitations of the theoretical foundation behind each approach. There is a general agreement between simulations and Pi Chamber observations, with simplifications of the CCN activation and droplet growth equation used in the simulations likely explaining specific differences.
The Diurnal Cycle of Rainfall and the Convectively Coupled Equatorial Waves over the Maritime Continent
Authors: Sakaeda Naoko , Kiladis George , Dias Juliana
Published: January 2020

Precipitation variability over the Maritime Continent is predominantly explained by its diurnal cycle and large-scale disturbances such as the Madden–Julian oscillation (MJO) and convectively coupled equatorial waves (CCEWs). To advance our understanding of their interactions and physical processes, this study uses satellite data to examine changes in the diurnal cycle of rainfall associated with the MJO and CCEWs over the Maritime Continent. We find that diurnal cycle modulations associated with the passage of any type of large-scale disturbance are closely tied to changes in rain types and land–sea diurnal propagation of rainfall. When the amplitude of the diurnal cycle increases over the islands, the phase of the diurnal cycle is delayed by a few hours as clouds are more organized and rainfall from stratiform-anvil clouds increases. Enhanced amplitude of the diurnal cycle can alter the speed of land–sea diurnal propagation of rainfall, which then influences the timing of diurnal rainfall over coastal regions. These changes in the diurnal cycle occur asymmetrically across the island terrain associated with the MJO and equatorial Rossby waves, while such asymmetric modulations are not observed for other waves. Geographical and wave dependencies of the diurnal cycle are linked to differences in large-scale lower tropospheric wind, vertical motion, and moisture profile perturbations, which are in turn tied to differences in cloud population evolution. The results of this study highlight the importance of further improving our understanding of the sensitivity of cloud populations to varying large-scale phenomena.
Southeastern U.S. Tornado Outbreak Likelihood Using Daily Climate Indices
Authors: Brown Matthew C. , Nowotarski Christopher J.
Published: January 2020

This study investigates relationships between climate-scale patterns and seasonal tornado outbreaks across the southeastern United States. Time series of several daily climate indices—including Arctic Oscillation (AO), North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO), Pacific–North American (PNA) pattern, east/west Pacific Oscillation (EPO/WPO), and both raw and detrended Gulf of Mexico SST anomalies (SSTA/SSTAD)—are collected in advance of Southeast severe convective days and grouped using self-organizing maps (SOMs). Spatiotemporal distributions of storm reports within nodes are compared to seasonal climatology, and the evolution of the regional environment for nodes associated with outbreaks is analyzed to provide physical justification for such associations. This study confirms findings from several tornado-related climate studies in the literature, while also identifying a number of new patterns associated with Southeast tornado outbreaks. Both the AO and NAO are relevant across all seasons, especially on lead time scales of 1–2 months, while SSTA/SSTADs are relevant on smaller time scales. The physical connection between these patterns and the regional storm environment is largely related to alterations of upper-level circulation and jet stream patterns, which in turn influence deep- and low-level shear, inland transport of moisture and instability, and other regional characteristics pertinent to tornado outbreaks. These results suggest that climate-scale variability can modulate and potentially be used to predict regional storm environments and their likelihood to produce tornado outbreaks across the Southeast.
The Dynamics of (Ethno)Nationalism and Federalism in Postcolonial Balochistan, Pakistan
Authors: Ahmed Manzoor
Published: January 2020

The paper examines how an (ethno)nationalist movement developed and took shape in Balochistan in relation to a broader national question that ranges from seeking provincial autonomy within the federation of Pakistan to gaining independence and formation of a separate state of Balochistan. The paper also analyses the estranged relationship of Balochistan with the state of Pakistan against the background of the failure of the state in accommodating the Baloch national aspirations for economic, social and political rights, while adhering to the basic tenets of federalism. The Baloch, who sporadically engaged in armed conflicts with the state after the British left the Indian Subcontinent in 1947, were not merely the pawns of geopolitics. The conflict in Balochistan must also be seen in a greater context of nationalism as an effort of the Baloch elite to achieve more autonomy within the federal structure of Pakistan. The movement for more national autonomy under the slogan of nationalism may be understood as a tool to further consolidate the social, economic and political strengths of the traditional tribal structure of Balochistan, instead of a struggle for economic and political empowerment of the people of Balochistan. The genuine economic and political aspirations of the people were doubly constrained. On the one hand, the centuries old tribal-centric social structure impeded any social and political evolution in the province and, on the other hand, the limitations of the federal structure in Pakistan restrained Balochistan’s integration into the mainstream national polity and economy. The paper argues that the emergence of nationalism is shaped, firstly by the historical legacy of the colonial era, the identity politics of Baloch nationalists, resource-grabbing and hegemonic approach of the Baloch Sardars or tribal chieftains, and secondly by Pakistan’s failure in adhering to the principles of federalism. Extreme centralization or quasi federalism with its authoritarian nature has promoted regionalism and centrifugal tendencies. Balochistan being a periphery happened to be a fertile ground for the emergence and development of a nationalist movement against the attitudes of the state of Pakistan, which led towards a conflict situation between Balochistan and the state of Pakistan.
Improvised Marketing Interventions in Social Media
Authors: Borah Abhishek , Banerjee Sourindra , Lin Yu-Ting , Jain Apurv , Eisingerich Andreas B.
Published: January 2020

Online virality has attracted the attention of academics and marketers who want to identify the characteristics of online content that promote sharing. This article adds to this body of research by examining the phenomenon of improvised marketing interventions (IMIs)—social media actions that are composed and executed in real time proximal to an external event. Using the concept of quick wit, and theorizing that the effect of IMIs is furthered by humor and timeliness or unanticipation, the authors find evidence of these effects on both virality and firm value across five multimethod studies, including quasiexperiments, experiments, and archival data analysis. These findings point to the potential of IMIs in social media and to the features that firms should proactively focus on managing in order to reap the observed online sharing and firm value benefits.
Language’s vanishing act in early literacy education
Authors: Hruby George G.
Published: January 2020

Current conversations about children’s literacy have focused on the need for more phonics and decoding instruction and have sidelined the importance of children’s language development, argues George Hruby. Language development involves more than the ability to decode written language. The ability to understand the meaning of those words is also important, and poor outcomes on reading assessments are not necessarily evidence of poor decoding skills. Hruby posits that comprehension follows a recursive trajectory that he calls ELIK in which students’ linguistic environment affects their language abilities which affects their intellectual growth, which affects their knowledge. Against this backdrop, a lack of attention to linguistic environment is an issue of equity, with children who grow up in less literacy-rich environments coming into school at a disadvantage.
A new era for bilingual education in California
Authors: Garcia Amaya
Published: January 2020

In 2016, California voters overturned a 1998 law that curtailed bilingual instruction throughout the state. After nearly 20 years of “English only” programs, what will it take to restore the schools’ capacity to provide a broader range of services to English Learners, including dual language immersion and other forms of bilingual instruction?
On Leadership: Meeting students’ mental health needs: No shortcuts
Authors: Starr Joshua P.
Published: January 2020

Schools can play an important role in promoting children’s mental health, but they can’t do so without more resources, argues PDK’s CEO, Joshua Starr. To assess the needs of individual students and provide them with appropriate services, schools must employ adequate numbers of social workers, psychologists, and community liaisons. Otherwise, Starr warns, educators can easily jump to conclusions about the problems students face and the solutions that might help them.
Under the Law: Language access: Not just for students
Authors: Underwood Julie
Published: January 2020

Schools not only have a responsibility to provide an education to students with limited English proficiency, they must also communicate with families whose dominant language is not English, in a manner that the families can understand. Julie Underwood explains what the law states about schools’ language access responsibilities and discusses a case that is currently in litigation.
Career Confidential: Should teacher report another teacher she heard bullying a colleague?
Authors: Fagell Phyllis L.
Published: January 2020

Educators seek advice about workplace issues from school counselor and therapist Phyllis Fagell. In this column, a teacher who overheard a colleague bullying another teacher wonders how she should have responded in the moment and what she can do now. Another teacher wonders if comments made about political correctness during a job interview constitute a red flag about the job.
Reviewing Methods Studying Violence in Women’s ‘Everyday’
Authors: Sen Sudarshana
Published: January 2020

Every day of all individuals subsumed under the everydays of society. The mundane, the repetitive individual’s everyday is challenged when it becomes the starting point studying the unorganised every day. Looking at the repetitiveness character of everyday, this article questions the involvement of the forces of domination in women’s lives. Taking a feminist standpoint this article deals with the reverse, ‘transposing knowing into objective forms in which the situated subject and her actual experiences and location are discarded’. A concept developed by Dorothy Smith, ‘relations of ruling’ is used in this article to understand how the everyday repetitive struggles of women against violence can be studied, what methodological position, which methods of studying can be considered appropriate.
Model-free adaptive PID control for nonlinear discrete-time systems
Authors: Zhang Shuhua , Chi Ronghu
Published: January 2020

This work explores a model-free adaptive PID (MFA-PID) control for nonlinear discrete-time systems with rigorous mathematical analysis under a data-driven framework. An improved compact form dynamic linearization (iCFDL) is proposed to transfer the original nonlinear system into an affined linear data model including a nonlinear residual term. Both a time-difference estimator and a gradient parameter estimator are designed to estimate the nonlinear residual uncertainties and the unknown parameters in the iCFDL model. Subsequently, a novel improved CFDL based MFA-PID (iCFDL-MFA-PID) control is proposed by incorporating these two estimators. The results are extended by the use of improved partial format dynamic linearization (iPFDL) and full format dynamic linearization (iFFDL). The theoretical results are shown using contraction mapping principle-based mathematical analysis, as well as simulations.
Event-triggered fault tolerant control for a class of state saturated systems subject to deception attacks
Authors: Gao Yi , Li Yunji , Peng Li
Published: January 2020

This study is concerned with event-triggered fault tolerant control for a class of state-saturated systems subject to stochastic faults, unknown but bounded disturbances and deception attacks. After formulating stochastic faults, state saturations, and deception attacks, a hybrid system model is developed to facilitate analysis and design. An event-triggered transmission mechanism is proposed to decide whether the measurement values should be sent to the controller via wireless network. Since the sensor data is attacked by the adversary during the transmission, the actual measurement value received by the controller needs to be recalculated. Expressions of the dynamic output feedback controller are presented, and criteria are used to design a dynamic feedback controller to ensure that the system is uniformly ultimately bounded. To deal with the current problem, an algorithm is also developed and tested using the linear matrix inequality (LMI) toolbox. Finally, two numerical examples are given to illustrate the validity and effectiveness of the proposed strategies.
Endothelial-specific Crif1 deletion induces BBB maturation and disruption via the alteration of actin dynamics by impaired mitochondrial respiration
Authors: Lee Min Joung , Jang Yunseon , Han Jeongsu , Kim Soo J , Ju Xianshu , Lee Yu Lim , Cui Jianchen , Zhu Jiebo , Ryu Min Jeong , Choi Song-Yi , Chung Woosuk , Heo Chaejeong , Yi Hyon-Seung , Kim Hyun Jin , Huh Yang H , Chung Sookja K , Shong Minho , Kweon Gi-Ryang , Heo Jun Young
Published: January 2020

Cerebral endothelial cells (ECs) require junctional proteins to maintain blood–brain barrier (BBB) integrity, restricting toxic substances and controlling peripheral immune cells with a higher concentration of mitochondria than ECs of peripheral capillaries. The mechanism underlying BBB disruption by defective mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation (OxPhos) is unclear in a mitochondria-related gene-targeted animal model. To assess the role of EC mitochondrial OxPhos function in the maintenance of the BBB, we developed an EC-specific CR6-interactin factor1 ( Crif1) deletion mouse. We clearly observed defects in motor behavior, uncompacted myelin and leukocyte infiltration caused by BBB maturation and disruption in this mice. Furthermore, we investigated the alteration in the actin cytoskeleton, which interacts with junctional proteins to support BBB integrity. Loss of Crif1 led to reorganization of the actin cytoskeleton and a decrease in tight junction-associated protein expression through an ATP production defect in vitro and in vivo. Based on these results, we suggest that mitochondrial OxPhos is important for the maturation and maintenance of BBB integrity by supplying ATP to cerebral ECs.
Image quality in abdominal CT using an iodine contrast reduction algorithm employing patient size and weight and low kV CT technique
Authors: Iyer Veena R , Ehman Eric C , Khandelwal Ashish , Wells Michael L , Lee Yong S , Weber Nikkole M , Johnson Matthew P , Yu Lifeng , McCollough Cynthia H , Fletcher Joel G
Published: January 2020

Background

Low tube potential-high tube current computed tomography (CT) imaging allows reduction in iodine-based contrast dose and may extend the benefit of routine contrast-enhanced CT exams to patients at risk of nephrotoxicity.

Purpose

To determine the ability of an iodine contrast reduction algorithm to maintain diagnostic image quality for contrast-enhanced abdominal CT.

Material and Methods

CT exams with iodine contrast reduction were prescribed for patients at risk for renal dysfunction. The iodine contrast reduction algorithm combines weight-based contrast volume reduction with patient width-based low tube potential selection and bolus-tracking. Control exams with routine iodine dose were selected based on weight, width, and scan protocol. Three radiologists evaluated image quality and diagnostic confidence using a 4-point scale (<2 acceptable). Another radiologist assessed contrast reduction indications and measured portal vein and liver contrast-to-noise ratios.

Results

Forty-six contrast reduction algorithm and control exams were compared (mean creatinine 1.6 vs. 1.2 mg/dL, P ≤  0.0001). Thirty-nine contrast reduction patients had an eGFR <60 mL/min/1.73m2 and 15 had single or transplanted kidney. Mean iodine contrast dose was lower in the contrast reduction group (20.9 vs. 39.4 g/mL, P <  0.0001). Diagnostic confidence was rated as acceptable in 95% (131/138) of contrast reduction and 100% of control exams (1.18–1.28 vs. 1.02–1.13, respectively; P >  0.06). Liver attenuation and contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) were similar ( P =  0.08), but portal vein attenuation and CNR were lower with contrast-reduction (mean 176 vs. 198 HU, P =  0.02; 13 vs. 16, P =  0.0002).

Conclusion

This size-based contrast reduction algorithm using low kV and bolus tracking reduced iodine contrast dose by 50%, while achieving acceptable image quality in 95% of exams.
Examining College Student Perceptions of Criminal Justice Outcomes Among Persons With Mental Illness
Authors: Dierenfeldt Rick , Scott Samantha , Iles Gale , Smith Merideth
Published: January 2020

An extensive body of literature has documented punitive responses to mental illness in the United States that have coalesced around arrest and incarceration. Similarly, studies have highlighted the lack of treatment options available to persons with mental illness, as well as the fact the persons with mental illness are particularly susceptible to offering false confessions. Research on perceptions of these realities is, however, comparatively limited. This study contributes to the literature through the use of survey methodology to examine the perceptions of college students at a mid-sized university in the Southeastern United States as they relate to criminal justice outcomes among persons with mental illness. Results of multinomial regression models suggest that these perceptions are shaped by factors such as political orientation, semester standing, and punitiveness.
Comparing face-to-face with online training for occupational therapists in advising on fitness for work: Protocol for the CREATE study
Authors: Coole Carol , Konstantinidis Stathis T , Ablewhite Joanne , Radford Kate , Thomson Louise , Khan Sayeed , Drummond Avril
Published: January 2020

Introduction

Occupational therapists play a key role in advising on fitness for work; however, there is a concern that they lack knowledge and confidence in using the Allied Health Professions health and work report (formerly the Allied Health Professions advisory fitness for work report), developed in the United Kingdom. Comparing a reusable learning object with face-to-face training for occupational therapists in advising on fitness for work (CREATE) compares face-to-face training with online training for occupational therapists in completing the Allied Health Professions health and work report.

Method

A mixed methods study. Phase 1, occupational therapists will co-design an online training resource. A standardised face-to-face group-based training session will also be developed based on the same content. Phase 2, a feasibility study will be conducted. Thirty occupational therapists will either attend face-to-face group training or access the online resource. Data on self-reported knowledge and confidence in using the Allied Health Professions health and work report will be collected at baseline, 1 week and 8 weeks post-training. Feedback on the training will be collected by interview and, for the online resource, using an online tool.

Results

Quantitative results will be predominantly analysed descriptively. If appropriate, between-group responses will be compared using the Mann–Whitney test. Qualitative findings will be analysed thematically.

Conclusion

CREATE will have made a significant contribution to the debate around appropriate training methods in advising on fitness for work.
Following severe childhood stroke, specialised residential rehabilitation improves self-care independence but there are ongoing needs at discharge
Authors: Wales Lorna , Dunford Carolyn , Davis Kathy
Published: January 2020

Introduction

Stroke is a major cause of mortality and disability in childhood. There is a false belief that children will recover better than adults and recent research confirms that younger age at injury can have a negative impact on rehabilitation outcomes, resulting in lifelong disability. Self-care is a key rehabilitation outcome for children and young people.

Methods

This service evaluation reviews routinely collected clinical self-care data from one specialised residential rehabilitation centre in the United Kingdom. Admission and discharge scores from the United Kingdom Functional Independence Measure +Functional Assessment Measure, Rehabilitation Complexity Scale – E and Northwick Park Nursing Dependency Scale were analysed.

Results

Twenty-six children and young people age 8 years and over with severe stroke were included. Mean scores of independence increased and mean scores of complexity and dependency decreased. A proportion of the sample had ongoing self-care needs in relation to support needed in washing, dressing and bathing. A small number remained highly dependent, requiring assistance from two carers.

Conclusion

Children and young people make significant gains in self-care independence during specialised rehabilitation. However, a proportion return to the community with high self-care needs. Occupational therapists and the wider care team should address ongoing self-care needs in this population.
Life-Extending Benefit of Crack Sealing for Pavement Preservation
Authors: Vargas-Nordcbeck Adriana , Jalali Farhang
Published: January 2020

Crack sealing and filling is used as a pavement preservation treatment to prevent water infiltration and loss of load-carrying capacity, hence extending the life of the pavement. This study used field performance data of test sections from the Pavement Preservation Group (PG) Study being conducted in part by the National Center for Asphalt Technology (NCAT). Data from test sections located in a low traffic volume road with a hot, wet, no-freeze climate collected over a period of more than 6 years were used to evaluate the effect of crack sealing and filling, either as a stand-alone treatment or in combination with other surface treatments. A semi-parametric survival analysis was performed to determine the difference in median time to failure (MTTF) for sections with and without crack sealing. The results showed that when used as a stand-alone treatment on a pavement in “good” condition, the life-extending benefit from crack sealing/filling could not be calculated for the selected analysis period because the MTTF would not be reached within 10 years. The estimated benefit for pavements in “fair” and “poor” condition ranged from 1.1 to 7.3 years, depending on pretreatment condition and travel lane. If used in combination with a chip seal, the additional life-extending benefit for a pavement in “good” condition is approximately 2 years, and is slightly decreased to approximately 1.5 years if the pavement is in “fair” to “poor” category. Test sections continue to be monitored as part of a broader long-term study.
Police Procedural Justice, Lawyer Procedural Justice, Judge Procedural Justice, and Satisfaction With the Criminal Justice System: Findings From a Neglected Region of the World
Authors: Pryce Daniel K. , Wilson George
Published: January 2020

Although the impact of procedural justice on citizens’ satisfaction with the police and other branches of the criminal justice system has been tested in several geopolitical contexts, this is the first study to examine the relative impacts of police procedural justice, lawyer procedural justice, and judge procedural justice on satisfaction with a country’s criminal justice system. To assess the universal applicability of procedural justice, scholars must carry out research in all geopolitical regions. However, sub-Saharan Africa appears to be a region that scholars have neglected for far too long. As a result, the current study assesses the relative impacts of three strands of procedural justice—police, lawyer, and judge—on satisfaction with the criminal justice system in Kenya. Using a sample of 523 students from a prominent Kenyan university, we found that all three strands of procedural justice predicted satisfaction with Kenya’s criminal justice system under the country’s new Constitution, although judge procedural justice exerted the strongest influence on satisfaction. Also, less highly educated students (first-year students, compared to sophomores, juniors, and seniors) and male students were more satisfied with Kenya’s criminal justice system. The study’s implications for policy and future research are discussed.
Citizenship Development and the Market’s Impact: Examining Democratic Learning in Charter Schools in Two Regions
Authors: Hernández Laura E. , Castillo Elise
Published: January 2020

The marketization of U.S. schools has increasingly complicated and even undermined the democratic aims of education, causing many to argue that democratic and market ideologies are fundamentally opposed. This meta-ethnographic study uses conceptual tools from democratic theory and the research on civic education to investigate how leaders in one market-based organization—charter schools—grapple with tensions between the market and democracy in fostering the democratic orientations of their students and parents. Findings reveal that charter leaders primarily facilitate democratic learning opportunities that advance their organizational interests and promote a narrow and more individualistic conceptualization of democracy at the expense of a communitarian, justice-oriented one. The bounded vision of democracy observed in charter school practices suggests that market pressures may drive charters to focus their democratic engagement on the instrumental aims of ensuring their organizational survival in a competitive educational marketplace, despite espoused commitments to broader democratic aims.
Walking a thin line: Taking children’s decision to marry seriously?
Authors: Horii Hoko
Published: January 2020

This article provides empirical evidence on children’s agency and capacity in making the decision to marry. Case studies from my fieldwork in Bali contrast the commonly represented image of child marriage as a forced marriage, by demonstrating that in many cases children themselves make the decision to marry. However, considering social power dynamics, is such a decision really the child’s? The analysis shows that the current international child marriage framework fails to walk the thin line between empowerment and protection of children. Policies instead should be designed to encourage their participation in decision making and stimulate their resilience in their life after marriage.
What can be done to improve higher education quality and graduate employability in Nigeria? A stakeholder approach
Authors: Nwajiuba Chinyere Augusta , Igwe Paul Agu , Akinsola-Obatolu Abiola Deborah , Ituma Afam , Binuomote Michael Olayinka
Published: January 2020

The purpose of this study is twofold. First, it identifies the extent to which Nigerian higher education institutions (HEIs) enable the development of graduate skills and employability. Second, it outlines the roles of the major stakeholders in higher education and suggests ways to improve graduates’ knowledge, employability and skills. The study is based on a qualitative design incorporating interviews with representatives of public and private organizations, education agencies and members of non-governmental organizations in Nigeria. The data were analysed thematically to ascertain the perceptions of key stakeholders. The findings reveal that there is a minimal collaboration between HEIs and industry and many HEIs in Nigeria lack the necessary pedagogy, funding and infrastructure to carry out the teaching of employability skills. Several practical and policy implications arise from the study regarding improving graduate employability in Nigeria – in particular, the need to create a culture and environment that are conducive to HEI–industry–government collaboration and the need to design the curriculum to enable the teaching of employability skills.