bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Non‐profit theatre managers as multi‐stakeholder managers: The plate‐spinning of accountability
Authors: FitzGibbon Ali
Published: January 2021

This exploratory study identifies that more can be understood about how accountability operates within an increasingly complex non‐profit environment by applying stakeholder theory to managers and their decision‐making in non‐profit theatre organisations (NPTOs). On the surface, this may appear to be ground already covered. Previous research has explored the challenges of achieving more holistic accountability in the face of dominant stakeholders. Approaches have been proposed to increase efficiency, effectiveness and transparency. Less is known about how individual managers respond to competing accountabilities in decision‐making and what factors influence their attention to stakeholder interests. NPTOs operate in both the non‐profit and cultural industries sectors and, as such, are an interesting site to investigate accountability complexity in managerial decision‐making. However, NPTOs (and arts organisations generally) feature little in non‐profit and social accountability research. Particular features of NPTOs amplify the challenges of a multi‐stakeholder environment in discharging accountability. These include artistic mission beyond production/distribution; blended business models; policy‐driven leadership rhetoric; the prevalence of interorganisational collaboration; and a significantly freelance workforce. This study argues that NPTOs are the vanguard of changes in contemporary non‐profit management and their study offers new insights to problems associated with practising accountability within such multi‐stakeholder complexity. By drawing on creative non‐profit organisations, for example NPTOs, this study introduces new knowledge to existing non‐profit and social accountability literatures. Based on transdisciplinary research into perceived inter‐relationships between NPTO managers and stakeholder groups, this study proposes NPTO managers are engaged in a balancing or ‘plate‐spinning’ act of accountability, influenced by dominant stakeholders, and an interdependent triple logic in their operations. They negotiate ambiguous competing expectations by deploying self‐interest and ambiguity, with high potential for managerial paralysis and trade‐off. Recommendations arising include de‐emphasis of efficiency/effectiveness and increased attention to complex multi‐stakeholder accountability beyond current approaches. In addition, it suggests further research into NPTOs and arts organisations could yield additional knowledge in the study of non‐profit accountability.
Carbon flux and forest dynamics: Increased deadwood decomposition in tropical rainforest tree‐fall canopy gaps
Authors: Griffiths Hannah M. , Eggleton Paul , Hemming‐Schroeder Nicole , Swinfield Tom , Woon Joel S. , Allison Steven D. , Coomes David A. , Ashton Louise A. , Parr Catherine L.
Published: January 2021

Tree mortality rates are increasing within tropical rainforests as a result of global environmental change. When trees die, gaps are created in forest canopies and carbon is transferred from the living to deadwood pools. However, little is known about the effect of tree‐fall canopy gaps on the activity of decomposer communities and the rate of deadwood decay in forests. This means that the accuracy of regional and global carbon budgets is uncertain, especially given ongoing changes to the structure of rainforest ecosystems. Therefore, to determine the effect of canopy openings on wood decay rates and regional carbon flux, we carried out the first assessment of deadwood mass loss within canopy gaps in old‐growth rainforest. We used replicated canopy gaps paired with closed canopy sites in combination with macroinvertebrate accessible and inaccessible woodblocks to experimentally partition the relative contribution of microbes vs. termites to decomposition within contrasting understorey conditions. We show that over a 12 month period, wood mass loss increased by 63% in canopy gaps compared with closed canopy sites and that this increase was driven by termites. Using LiDAR data to quantify the proportion of canopy openings in the study region, we modelled the effect of observed changes in decomposition within gaps on regional carbon flux. Overall, we estimate that this accelerated decomposition increases regional wood decay rate by up to 18.2%, corresponding to a flux increase of 0.27 Mg C ha−1 year−1 that is not currently accounted for in regional carbon budgets. These results provide the first insights into how small‐scale disturbances in rainforests can generate hotspots for decomposer activity and carbon fluxes. In doing so, we show that including canopy gap dynamics and their impacts on wood decomposition in forest ecosystems can help improve the predictive accuracy of the carbon cycle in land surface models.
Advocates for hire: How government contracting shapes politics
Authors: Finger Leslie K. , Lastra‐Anadón Carlos X.
Published: January 2021

Many public services in the United States are administered through non‐state actors, many of which are nonprofits with broad social missions. Some scholars show that contracting these organizations can compromise their broader goals and political activities, while others find that such arrangements empower the organizations to engage in advocacy and influence policy. We argue that not only can contracting strengthen nonprofits' capacities to engage in politics and advance their missions, but it can mobilize political activity among those working for and engaging with the nonprofits. We use the case of Teach For America (TFA) and an instrumental variable approach that leverages plausibly exogenous variation in the timing of TFA's arrival in states to show that contracting TFA is related with the arrival of new education reform advocacy groups spearheaded by TFA alumni. This, in addition to TFA's direct efforts, leads to the passage of reform policies—especially charter school laws.
Commodifying feminism: Economic choice and agency in the context of lifestyle influencers and gender consultants
Authors: Petersson McIntyre Magdalena
Published: January 2021

Feminism has become a recurrent ingredient in many women's narratives of their selves and is regularly appearing as an important aspect of women's success, happiness and self‐realization. The development has been criticized for upholding a view in which structural inequalities are explained in terms of individual choices; choice feminism. This article examines two professional groups, lifestyle influencers and gender equality consultants. The purpose is to examine how questions of feminism, choice and entrepreneurship are made sense of in these contexts. The article situates the interviewees' explanations in fourth, or even fifth wave feminism to examine whether the embrace of choice still relies on a critique of gender structures and inequalities. Both the consultants and the influencers felt that entrepreneurial success had changed the way society viewed them. The appeal of ‘choice’ was an outcome of a perceived lack of choice, a matter of performing resistance to the culturally defined choices these individuals felt were presented to them. The article contributes to an understanding of the shifting meanings and forms feminism takes in social media and commercial market settings and what it is that these individuals find appealing in addressing individual success as a feminist victory.
Cell‐intrinsic mechanisms to restrain inflammatory responses in T lymphocytes
Authors: Džafo Emina , Bianchi Niccolò , Monticelli Silvia
Published: January 2021

A mechanistic understanding of the regulatory circuits that control the effector responses of memory T helper lymphocytes, and in particular their ability to produce pro‐inflammatory cytokines, may lead to effective therapeutic interventions in all immune‐related diseases. Activation of T lymphocytes induces robust immune responses that in most cases lead to the complete eradication of invading pathogens or tumor cells. At the same time, however, such responses must be both highly controlled in magnitude and limited in time to avoid unnecessary damage. To achieve such sophisticated level of control, T lymphocytes have at their disposal an array of transcriptional and post‐transcriptional regulatory mechanisms that ensure the acquisition of a phenotype that is tailored to the incoming stimulus while restraining unwarranted activation, eventually leading to the resolution of the inflammatory response. Here, we will discuss some of these cell‐intrinsic mechanisms that control T cell responses and involve transcription factors, microRNAs, and RNA‐binding proteins. We will also explore how the same mechanisms can be involved both in anti‐tumor responses and in autoimmunity.
Polysaccharides extracted from balanophora polyandra Griff (BPP) ameliorate renal Fibrosis and EMT via inhibiting the Hedgehog pathway
Authors: Li Luoying , Zhou Gang , Fu Rui , He Yumin , Xiao Li , Peng Fan , Yuan Chengfu
Published: January 2021

Renal interstitial fibrosis (RIF) is a crucial pathological change leading to chronic kidney disease (CKD). Currently, no effective medicines have been available for treating it. In our research, we examined the effects of polysaccharides extracted from Balanophora polyandra Griff (BPPs) on kidney fibrosis and epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) in vivo and in vitro, aiming to explore the underlying mechanisms. By using the mice with unilateral urethral obstruction (UUO) as experimental subjects, we examined the medicinal values of BPPs on alleviating RIF. The effects of BPPs were evaluated by examining the histological staining and relative mRNA and protein expression levels of the related genes. The possible underlying mechanisms were further explored with human normal renal proximal tubular epithelia (HK‐2 cells) as in vitro model. In UUO mice, BPP treatment could significantly alleviate interstitial fibrosis through reducing the components (Collagens I, III and IV) of extracellular matrix (ECM), and reducing the activation of fibroblasts producing these components, as revealed by inhibiting the hallmarks (fibronectin and α‐SMA) of fibroblast activation. Furthermore, BPP administration increased the expression levels of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and declined those of tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMPs). BPPs markedly ameliorated EMT in both the kidneys of UUO mice and TGF‐β1 treated HK‐2 cells. Moreover, BPP treatment decreased the expression levels of several transcriptional factors involved in regulating E‐cadherin expression, including snail, twist and ZEB1. Additionally, the Hedgehog pathway was found to be closely correlated with renal fibrosis and EMT. Altogether, our results clearly demonstrated that BPP treatment effectively inhibited the Hedgehog pathway both in renal tissues of UUO mice and TGF‐β1‐treated HK‐2 cells. Thus, BPPs ameliorated RIF and EMT in vivo and in vitro via suppressing Hedgehog signalling pathway.
Towards Categorical Visibility? The Political Making of a Third Sex in Germany and the Netherlands
Authors: Schotel A.L. , Mügge L.M.
Published: January 2021

Although international proclamations increasingly recognize legal sex beyond binary categories, domestic legislation is lagging behind. Germany and the Netherlands are the first countries in Western Europe where courts have ruled in favour of a third option. While the German constitution was amended to guarantee a third option, the Dutch government has refrained from implementing comparable legislation. What explains this difference? This article draws on parliamentary debates, newspapers and statements from activists to follow the trajectory of the third option. Building on literature on intersex rights legislation and the diffusion of LGBT rights norms, we find that an established progressive reputation can lead states like the Netherlands to take a back seat, while mobilization by activists was crucial in establishing the self‐determination of legal sex on the German political agenda. Our study contributes to unravelling the complex ways in which new norms shape – or fail to shape – domestic political outcomes.
The impact of insulin on the serotonergic system and consequences on diabetes‐associated mood disorders
Authors: Martin Hugo , Bullich Sébastien , Guiard Bruno P. , Fioramonti Xavier
Published: January 2021

The idea that insulin could influence emotional behaviours has long been suggested. However, the underlying mechanisms have yet to be solved and there is no direct and clear‐cut evidence demonstrating that such action involves brain serotonergic neurones. Indeed, initial arguments in favour of the association between insulin, serotonin and mood arise from clinical or animal studies showing that impaired insulin action in type 1 or type 2 diabetes causes anxiety‐ and depressive symptoms along with blunted plasma and brain serotonin levels. The present review synthesises the main mechanistic hypotheses that might explain the comorbidity between diabetes and depression. It also provides a state of knowledge of the direct and indirect experimental evidence that insulin modulates brain serotonergic neurones. Finally, it highlights the literature suggesting that antidiabetic drugs present antidepressant‐like effects and, conversely, that serotonergic antidepressants impact glucose homeostasis. Overall, this review provides mechanistic insights into how insulin signalling alters serotonergic neurotransmission and related behaviours bringing new targets for therapeutic options.
Backward‐oriented economics
Authors: Frey Bruno S.
Published: January 2021

Nowadays, academic journals of high standing rarely accept a conceptual idea in a paper not instantly accompanied by econometric estimates. The idea would almost certainly get rejected. Empirical validation based on past statistical data has produced an unfortunate backward orientation in economics. While one can learn from the past, this approach fails when the underlying conditions strongly change.

The paper suggests various possibilities to overcome the intense publication pressure in so‐called top journals and the overemphasis on instant empirical evidence. Academia is, however, unlikely to adapt. As economics is too backward oriented, other disciplines or cranks may well dominate future economic policy.
UBI SUNT MACELLA?THE CONTRIBUTION OF NON‐INVASIVE ARCHAEOLOGICAL SURVEY TO THE IDENTIFICATION AND STUDY OF ROMAN FOOD MARKETS
Authors: Hoffelinck Adeline , Vermeulen Frank
Published: January 2021

While the remains of the well‐preserved and excavated towns of Pompeii, Ostia and Herculaneum provide us with a fascinating impression of their once bustling economic life, the study of urban economic space requires a more extensive geographical and methodological framework. This paper investigates whether the systematic use of non‐invasive techniques at other, often neglected, urban sites can deliver a meaningful contribution to the study of Roman urbanism, especially by revealing previously unknown foci of commercial activity in the Roman city. To illustrate the effectiveness of certain non‐destructive strategies, including geophysical prospection and aerial survey, we focus on a specific type of market building that was quite common in the Roman world, themacellum.The case studies presented here demonstrate how non‐invasive archaeological investigation, often in combination with other topographic operations, can facilitate the identification ofmacellaand enhance studies of economic architecture and space in Roman towns in Italy and the provinces.
Tracheal Intubation‐related adverse events in pediatrics anesthesia in Ethiopia
Authors: Tamire Tadese , Garbessa Bayisa , Gebeyehu Geresu , Getachew Lemlem
Published: January 2021

Background

Tracheal intubation is a common intervention for many pediatric surgical patients. Even though it can be lifesaving, it carries a risk of morbidity and even mortality. Evidence is lacking regarding the adverse events related to pediatric intubation in Ethiopia. This study is aimed to assess the scale of tracheal intubation‐related adverse events with its associated factors in pediatrics surgical patients at Tikur Anbessa Specialized Hospital, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Methods

An Institutional‐based cross‐sectional study was conducted on 310 pediatric surgical patients who underwent major surgery from December 30, 2019, to February 30, 2020. All pediatrics patients scheduled for surgery under general anesthesia in the study period were included in this study. Data with complete information were entered into Epi Info version 7 and exported to SPSS version 22 for analysis. Descriptive statistics, bivariate, and multivariable logistic regression were computed to identify factors associated with tracheal intubation‐related adverse events. The level of statistical significance was declared at a P‐value of less than .05.

Result

In this study, the overall incidence of tracheal intubation‐related adverse events in pediatrics patients was 36.5%. Being a neonate (AOR = 4.13, 95% CI: 1.26–13.49), emergency surgery (AOR = 3.39, 95% CI: 1.41–8.13), difficult intubation (AOR, 4.08, 95% CI: 1.01–7.50), intubation without using premedication (AOR = 1.75, 95% CI: 1.45–10.83), intubation without using muscle relaxant (AOR = 1.81; 95% CI: 1.10–8.14), and tracheal intubation attempted more than three times (AOR = 3.92, 95% CI: 0.16–7.39) were identified as independent predictors of tracheal intubation‐related adverse events.

Conclusion and recommendations.

The incidence of tracheal intubation‐related adverse events in pediatric surgical patients is high. Anesthesia professionals should be vigilant and have a preplanned strategy to avoid intubation‐related adverse events, especially in high‐risk patients. The use of difficult airway algorithms, oxygen saturation monitoring, and training in simulation room are very important strategies to help reduce patient harm.
Hyperpluralism, political liberalism, and Confucian democracy
Authors: Kim Sungmoon
Published: January 2021

In his recent book, Zhuoyao Li presents one of the most pointed criticisms of Confucian democracy from a political liberal standpoint. Li’s central argument is that liberal democracy, predicated on Rawlsian political liberalism, is the only legitimate form of democracy in East Asia’s pluralist societal context. Li advances his normative argument against Confucian democracy, first by reaffirming Rawls’s public conception of morality, then shifting his point of reference from Rawls to Alessandro Ferrara, and finally, defending a multivariate democracy in East Asia’s pluralist societal context from the viewpoint of Ferrara’s idea of hyperpluralism. In this paper, I defend Confucian democracy as a viable political theory in pluralist East Asia by critiquing Li’s change of the point of reference from Rawls to Ferrara, his imposition of the condition of hyperpluralism on East Asia, and his sweeping logical framework that allows no normative space for Confucian democratic theory.
Voting Women, Protesting Men: A Multilevel Analysis of Corruption, Gender, and Political Participation
Authors: Malmberg Fredrik G. , Christensen Henrik Serup
Published: January 2021

Previous studies have been unable to establish the link between corruption perceptions and political participation. This is partly due to a disregard of different types of political participation, ignoring gender differences in how corruption perceptions affect political participation, and overlooking the importance of context. We therefore here examine gender differences in the links between corruption perceptions and three types of political participation: voting, institutionalized participation between elections, and noninstitutionalized participation between elections. We also examine how the context in the form of the national level of corruption affects these linkages. The data come from International Social Survey Program Citizenship II and includes 31 democracies, analyzed with multilevel regression models. Our results show that women become more likely to vote when faced with corruption, whereas men become more likely to engage in elite‐challenging forms of participation when faced with corruption while women remain unaffected.

Related Articles

Caillier, James. 2010. “Citizen Trust, Political Corruption, and Voting Behavior: Connecting the Dots.” Politics & Policy 38 (5): 1015‐1035. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1747‐1346.2010.00267

Lagunes, Paul F. 2012. “Corruption's Challenge to Democracy: A Review of the Issues.” Politics & Policy 40 (5): 802‐826. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1747‐1346.2012.00384

McNally, Darragh. 2016. “Norms, Corruption, and Voting for Berlusconi.” Politics & Policy 44 (5): 976‐1008. https://doi.org/10.1111/polp.12173
The Cost of Representation: Insurance Status, Gender, and Cardiac Outcomes in Emergency Department Care
Authors: McCrea Austin M.
Published: January 2021

Recent innovations in representative bureaucracy push the theory toward the micro‐foundations of who represents and who receives representation. Contributing to the micro theory, I draw from street‐level bureaucracy which recognizes how certain client characteristics beyond a shared identity may make representation too costly. Using data on emergency department visits to Florida hospitals, I explore how the impact of physician‐patient gender matching on client outcomes is moderated by a patient's insurance status. While emergency departments offer universal, public access, services performed on publicly insured and uninsured individuals are reimbursed at a lower rate than the privately insured. These features present an opportunity to test how responsive representation is to different client costs and benefits. The findings suggest that public insurance status is not a barrier for women's representation. However, uninsured women do not see any improvement in outcomes when receiving representation.
Can Leadership Training Improve Organizational Effectiveness? Evidence from a Randomized Field Experiment on Transformational and Transactional Leadership
Authors: Jacobsen Christian Bøtcher , Andersen Lotte Bøgh , Bøllingtoft Anne , Eriksen Tine Louise Mundbjerg
Published: January 2021

Based on evidence from a large‐scale leadership training field experiment, this article advances our knowledge about the possibilities for training leaders toward more active and effective leadership. In the field experiment, public and private leaders were randomly assigned to a control group or one of three leadership training programs: Transformational, transactional, or a combined program. Employee responses from 463 organizations show that the training can affect leadership behavior positively in very different organizations (primary and secondary schools, daycare centers, tax centers, and bank units). Furthermore, for the subsample of school principals, we find some evidence of training effects on performance in standardized tests in elementary schools and final exams in lower secondary schools. We discuss these findings in relation to training content and performance criteria.
Helping or Hurting? The Efficacy of Municipal Bankruptcy
Authors: Abott Carolyn , Singla Akheil
Published: January 2021

Local governments facing extreme fiscal stress have few options. One that has historically been rare is filing for Chapter 9 bankruptcy. The limited number of cases has prevented any systematic study of municipal bankruptcy. But given the results of bankruptcy for individuals, there are reasons to believe that bankruptcy can provide a fresh financial start for local governments. This study leverages six municipal bankruptcies in the years immediately following The Great Recession to explore the effects of bankruptcy on local governments’financial health. It employs a variety of empirical approaches to generate a counterfactual for the bankrupt governments and assess the effects of bankruptcy: synthetic control, propensity‐score matching, staggered difference‐in‐differences, and an event study. The results show that bankruptcy is associated with no declines and some meaningful improvements in financial health. These findings suggest that Chapter 9 bankruptcy may provide extremely stressed local governments with a potential path forward.
Legal enclaves as a test environment for innovative products: Toward legally resilient experimentation policies1
Authors: Philipsen Stefan , Stamhuis Evert F. , de Jong Martin
Published: January 2021

Many countries adhere to the Organisation for Economic Co‐operation and Development creed that innovation is good for the economy. Experiments are often used to intentionally create space for innovation. Decisions allowing experiments result in temporary legal enclaves for a few, excluding many others. Therefore, they come with risks. The aim of this article is to provide a set of guidelines that help improve the legal resilience of experimentation policies, so they are better able to withstand legal attacks when they occur. To do so, we first arranged the existing diversity of legal experiments in a theoretical model. Special attention was paid to two archetypes of legal experiments: statutory experiments and regulatory sandboxes. Second, we analyzed the impact of both types of experiments on four core legal principles: legality, certainty, equality, and public accountability. From this assessment, we eventually formulated a set of guidelines to secure or improve legal resilience.
Analyzing Risk of Service Failures in Heavy Haul Rail Lines: A Hybrid Approach for Imbalanced Data
Authors: Ghofrani Faeze , Sun Hongyue , He Qing
Published: January 2021

An incident in which a rail defect of size over a threshold value is noticed and the track is taken out of service is known as a service failure. This article aims at building accurate prediction models with binary outcome for risk of service failures on heavy haul rail segments. An analysis of the factors that influence the risk of a service failure is conducted and quantitative models are developed to predict locations where service failures are most likely to occur until the next inspection. To this end, data are collected from a Class I U.S. Railroads for six years from 2011 to 2016. Four prediction models (i.e., logistic regression, decision tree, multilayer perceptron, and gradient boosting classifier) are implemented and their results are compared. To account for the imbalanced classes between the normal operation and service failure, two treatments have been used including undersampling and oversampling. To improve the model performance, the parameters of each method are tuned using random search hyperparameter optimization. Later, bootstrap aggregation (or bagging) is incorporated into each method. The findings of the study show that the prediction performance is the highest when using bagging and oversampling as treatments with gradient boosting method. It was also identified that gross tonnage, presence of geometry defects, ambient temperature, segment length, and rail defect presence are the most important factors for predicting the risk of service failures. The results of this study are useful for railroads to develop effective strategies for rail inspections, preventive maintenance, and capital planning.
Whole‐genome characterization of chronological age‐associated changes in methylome and circular RNAs in moso bamboo (Phyllostachys edulis) from vegetative to floral growth
Authors: Zhang Zeyu , Wang Huihui , Wang Yongsheng , Xi Feihu , Wang Huiyuan , Kohnen Markus V. , Gao Pengfei , Wei Wentao , Chen Kai , Liu Xuqing , Gao Yubang , Han Ximei , Hu Kaiqiang , Zhang Hangxiao , Zhu Qiang , Zheng Yushan , Liu Bo , Ahmad Ayaz , Hsu Yau‐Heiu , Jacobsen Steven E. , Gu Lianfeng
Published: January 2021

In mammals, DNA methylation is associated with aging. However, age‐related DNA methylation changes during phase transitions largely remain unstudied in plants. Moso bamboo (Phyllostachys edulis) requires a very long time to transition from the vegetative to the floral phase. To comprehensively investigate the association of DNA methylation with aging, we present here single‐base‐resolution DNA methylation profiles using both high‐throughput bisulfite sequencing and single‐molecule nanopore‐based DNA sequencing, covering the long period of vegetative growth and transition to flowering in moso bamboo. We discovered that CHH methylation gradually accumulates from vegetative to reproductive growth in a time‐dependent fashion. Differentially methylated regions, correlating with chronological aging, occurred preferentially at both transcription start sites and transcription termination sites. Genes with CG methylation changes showed an enrichment of Gene Ontology (GO) categories in ‘vegetative to reproductive phase transition of meristem’. Combining methylation data with mRNA sequencing revealed that DNA methylation in promoters, introns and exons may have different roles in regulating gene expression. Finally, circular RNA (circRNA) sequencing revealed that the flanking introns of circRNAs are hypermethylated and enriched in long terminal repeat (LTR) retrotransposons. Together, the observations in this study provide insights into the dynamic DNA methylation and circRNA landscapes, correlating with chronological age, which paves the way to study further the impact of epigenetic factors on flowering in moso bamboo.
Computational localization of attack regions through a direct observation of the audio waveform
Authors: Lartillot Olivier , Nymoen Kristian , Câmara Guilherme Schmidt , Danielsen Anne
Published: January 2021

This article addresses the computational estimation of attack regions in audio recordings. Previous attempts to do so were based on the reduction of the audio waveform into an envelope curve, which decreases its temporal resolution. The proposed approach detects the attack region directly from the audio waveform. The attack region is modeled as a line starting from a low-amplitude point and intersecting one of the local maxima according to two principles: (1) maximizing the slope, while favoring, at the same time, a higher peak if the slope remains only slightly lower and (2) dismissing initial attack regions of relatively low amplitude. The attack start position is fine-tuned by intersecting the attack slope with the audio waveform. The proposed method precisely pinpoints the attack region in cases where it is unambiguously observable from the waveform itself. In such cases, previous methods selected a broader attack region due to the loss of temporal resolution. When attack regions are less evident, the proposed method's estimation remains within the range of results provided by other methods. Applied to the prediction of judgments of P-center localization [Danielsen, Nymoen, Anderson, Câmara, Langerød, Thompson, and London, J. Exp. Psychol. Hum. Percept. Perform. 45, 402–418 (2019)], the proposed method shows a significant increase in precision, at the expense of recall.
Effects of Different In-Season Strength Training Methods on Strength Gains and Water Polo Performance
Authors: Martin Manuel Santiago , Pareja Blanco Fernando , De Villarreal Eduardo Saez
Published: January 2021

Purpose: This study aimed to compare the effects of 5 different 18-week in-season strength training programs on strength gains and specific water polo performance. Methods: A total of 56 young male water polo players were randomly assigned to the following 5 training groups: dry-land strength training, in-water-specific strength training, combined (dry-land and in-water) strength training, ballistic training, and eccentric-overload training. Physical performance was assessed before (Pre) and after (Post) the training period using the following battery of tests: in-water boost and countermovement jump, muscle strength in bench-press and full-squat, throwing speed (ThS), in-water agility, and 20-m maximal sprint swim. Results: Significant group × time interactions were observed for countermovement jump and in-water boost. Eccentric-overload training showed significantly higher gains in ThS and bench-press and full-squat strength than the rest of the training groups. In addition, all training groups (except in-water-specific strength training) induced significant improvements (P ≤ .05) in countermovement jump, in-water boost, and bench-press and full-squat strength. All training groups significantly increased (P ≤ .001) ThS. Moreover, all training groups improved (P ≤ .05) in-water agility (except dry-land strength training) and swimming sprint performance (except in-water-specific strength training and ballistic training). Conclusion: The findings indicate that the 18-week in-season strength training programs induced improvements in strength and specific water polo skills. The eccentric-overload training resulted in greater improvements in muscle strength (in both upper and lower body) and ThS than the other training methods examined in the study.
25 Years of Session Rating of Perceived Exertion: Historical Perspective and Development
Authors: Foster Carl , Boullosa Daniel , McGuigan Michael , Fusco Andrea , Cortis Cristina , Arney Blaine E. , Orton Bo , Dodge Christopher , Jaime Salvador , Radtke Kim , van Erp Teun , de Koning Jos J. , Bok Daniel , Rodriguez-Marroyo Jose A. , Porcari John P.
Published: January 2021

The session rating of perceived exertion (sRPE) method was developed 25 years ago as a modification of the Borg concept of rating of perceived exertion (RPE), designed to estimate the intensity of an entire training session. It appears to be well accepted as a marker of the internal training load. Early studies demonstrated that sRPE correlated well with objective measures of internal training load, such as the percentage of heart rate reserve and blood lactate concentration. It has been shown to be useful in a wide variety of exercise activities ranging from aerobic to resistance to games. It has also been shown to be useful in populations ranging from patients to elite athletes. The sRPE is a reasonable measure of the average RPE acquired across an exercise session. Originally designed to be acquired ∼30 minutes after a training bout to prevent the terminal elements of an exercise session from unduly influencing the rating, sRPE has been shown to be temporally robust across periods ranging from 1 minute to 14 days following an exercise session. Within the training impulse concept, sRPE, or other indices derived from sRPE, has been shown to be able to account for both positive and negative training outcomes and has contributed to our understanding of how training is periodized to optimize training outcomes and to understand maladaptations such as overtraining syndrome. The sRPE as a method of monitoring training has the advantage of extreme simplicity. While it is not ideal for the precise recording of the details of the external training load, it has large advantages relative to evaluating the internal training load.
Physiological Indicators of Trail Running Performance: A Systematic Review
Authors: de Waal Simon J. , Gomez-Ezeiza Josu , Venter Rachel E. , Lamberts Robert P.
Published: January 2021

Purpose: To provide a systematic overview of physiological parameters used to determine the training status of a trail runner and how well these parameters correlate with real-world trail running performance. Method: An electronic literature search of the PubMed and Scopus digital databases was performed. Combinations of the terms “trail run” or “trail runner” or “trail running” and “performance” were used as search terms. Seven studies met the inclusion criteria. Results: Trail running performance most commonly correlated (mean [SD]) with maximal aerobic capacity (71%; r = −.50 [.32]), lactate threshold (57%; r = −.48 [.28]), velocity at maximal aerobic capacity (43%; r = −.68 [.08]), running economy (43%; r = −.31 [.22]), body fat percentage (43%; r = .55 [.21]), and age (43%; r = .52 [.14]). Regression analyses in 2 studies were based on a single variable predicting 48% to 60% of performance variation, whereas 5 studies included multiple variable regression analyses predicting 48% to 99% of performance variation. Conclusions: Trail running performance is multifaceted. The classic endurance model shows a weaker association with performance in trail running than in road running. Certain variables associated with trail running research (such as testing procedures, race profiles, and study participants) hinder the execution of comparative studies. Future research should employ trail-specific testing protocols and clear, objective descriptions of both the race profile and participants’ training status.
Ex–vaccine chief reflects on triumphs, failures, and Trump
Authors: Cohen Jon
Published: January 2021

Warp Speed's Moncef Slaoui discusses the troubled rollout of COVID-19 vaccines and how to stop the next pandemic.
Death detective
Authors: Kupferschmidt Kai
Published: January 2021

A veterinarian traces how animals die, finding new threats to people and wildlife.
China can help solve the debt and environmental crises
Authors: Simmons B. Alexander , Ray Rebecca , Yang Hongbo , Gallagher Kevin P.
Published: January 2021

China could implement debt-for-nature and debt-for-climate swaps to protect the environment and reduce global debt
Identification and Investigation of Autolysin Genes in Clostridium saccharoperbutylacetonicum Strain N1-4 for Enhanced Biobutanol Production
Authors: Jiménez-Bonilla Pablo , Feng Jun , Wang Shangjun , Zhang Jie , Wang Yifen , Blersch David , de-Bashan Luz Estela , Gaillard Philippe , Guo Liang , Wang Yi
Published: January 2021

Severe autolytic behavior is a common issue in
Clostridium
and many other microorganisms. This study revealed the key genes responsible for the cell autolysis within
Clostridium saccharoperbutylacetonicum
, a prominent platform for biosolvent production from lignocellulosic materials. The knowledge generated in this study provides insights concerning cell autolysis in relevant microbial systems and gives essential references for enhancing strain stability through rational genome engineering.
Analysis of Staphylococcus aureus Transcriptome in Pediatric Soft Tissue Abscesses and Comparison to Murine Infections
Authors: Moffitt K. , Cheung E. , Yeung T. , Stamoulis C. , Malley R.
Published: January 2021

A comprehensive understanding of how
Staphylococcus aureus
adapts to cause infections in humans can inform development of diagnostic, therapeutic, and preventive approaches. Expression analysis of clinical strain libraries depicts
in vitro
conditions that differ from those in human infection, but low bacterial burden and the requirement for reverse transcription or nucleic acid amplification complicate such analyses of bacteria causing human infection.
Respiratory Syncytial Virus Activates Rab5a To Suppress IRF1-Dependent Lambda Interferon Production, Subverting the Antiviral Defense of Airway Epithelial Cells
Authors: Mo Shi , Tang Wei , Xie Jun , Chen Sisi , Ren Luo , Zang Na , Xie Xiaohong , Deng Yu , Gao Leiqiong , Liu Enmei
Published: January 2021

This study highlights the important role of Rab5a in respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection, such that its depletion inhibits RSV infection by stimulating the endogenous respiratory epithelial antiviral immunity and attenuates inflammation of the airway, which suggests that Rab5a is a powerful potential target for novel therapeutics against RSV infection.
Wandering spleen leading to splenic torsion with gastric and pancreatic volvulus
Authors: Shen Mary R , Barrett Meredith , Waits Seth , Williams Aaron M
Published: January 2021

This case highlights a 37-year-old woman with primary sclerosing cholangitis awaiting liver transplantation who presented with torsion of a wandering spleen with associated gastric and pancreatic volvulus. The patient underwent emergent exploratory laparotomy with splenectomy. She had an uncomplicated postoperative course and recovered well.
Missed hypereosinophilic syndrome in a critically ill patient with systemic lupus erythematosus
Authors: Ling Ying , Bell Mary Jane , Chodirker Lisa , Lake Shirley
Published: January 2021

A high functioning 74-year-old man with systemic lupus erythematosus presented to the emergency department with acute anxiety. He was found to have elevated cardiac enzymes and admitted to the cardiology service for investigation. In hospital, he developed an erythematous papular rash, and deteriorated to being somnolent and bedridden. He was found to have new multiterritory ischaemic strokes. It was eventually noted that he had persistent eosinophilia, present even on admission, which had been overlooked as the total leucocyte count was normal. Serology for antiphospholipid antibody syndrome (APS) was positive. He was diagnosed with hypereosinophilic syndrome (HES) secondary to new APS, and responded to high-dose steroids. This case highlights the importance of fully evaluating a leucocyte differential to make a diagnosis of HES. We discuss the definition, clinical manifestations, diagnostic approach and management of this important condition.
Diverse manifestations of a sickle cell crisis
Authors: Hashemzehi Tumaj , Bertok Szabolcs , Figaszewska Malwina Julia , Batura Deepak
Published: January 2021

We describe the case of a 21-year-old man with a background of sickle cell disease (SCD) who was on acute presentation in a sickle cell crisis required immediate intensive care admission with red blood cell exchange and ventilatory support. He had right frontal lobe infarctsand extensive bilateral deep white matter lesions most likely secondary to fat embolism. Inpatient investigations demonstrated a patent foramen ovale, explaining the route of spread of the fat embolus. He then had a transcatheter closure of the atrial defect. The patient needed prolonged inpatient rehabilitation. He was discharged from hospital in a wheelchair secondary to severe lower limb neurology and bilateral knee heterotopic ossification. He lives with the possibility of early onset dementia and cognitive decline, requiring constant care. The case highlights the multiple manifestations of SCD and their diverse and debilitating consequences.
Bilateral ocular toxoplasmosis in a returning traveller: age and route of infection as potential risk factors
Authors: Seers Tim , Myneni Jayavani , Chaudhry Nadia L , Ugarte Marta
Published: January 2021

We report the case of a 69-year-old man, who presented in the UK with a short history of deteriorating vision and clinical features of bilateral atypical retinochoroiditis, after travelling to South America. Vitreous samples demonstratedToxoplasma gondiiDNA by PCR. Serology tests demonstrated recent acquiredToxoplasma gondiiinfection with IgM antibodies. He responded well to treatment with trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, azithromycin and oral steroids.This case is a reminder of the global importance ofToxoplasmarelated eye disease, and its uncommon bilateral severe presentation in a returning traveller, where the risk factors were age and the route of infection likely to be a virulent parasite oocyst from vegetables or water rather than undercooked meat or direct contact with cats.
Relapsed granulomatosis with polyangiitis with panhypopituitarism
Authors: Triano Matthew J , Haberstroh William D , Lenka Abhishek , Whelton Sean A
Published: January 2021

A man in his early 60s with a medical history of granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA) in remission for two decades without maintenance therapy presented with non-specific complaints of profound fatigue and 40-pound weight loss. He was seronegative for antinuclear antibodies and cytoplasmic antineutrophilic antibodies, but erythrocyte sedimentation rate and C reactive protein levels were elevated. Endocrinological testing revealed adrenal insufficiency, hypogonadism, hypothyroidism and diabetes insipidus. An MRI of the head revealed extensive sinonasal inflammation eroding through the floor of the sella turcica and into the pituitary gland and stalk. Biopsy of the sinonasal tissues was inconclusive. On review of his case, a multidisciplinary team diagnosed him with panhypopituitarism secondary to a recurrence of GPA. He responded well to glucocorticoids and methotrexate with marked reduction of pituitary enhancement on imaging and resolution of diabetes insipidus. He will require lifelong testosterone, levothyroxine and glucocorticoids for hormone replacement therapy.
Primary thyroid squamous cell carcinoma: a challenging management problem
Authors: Agilinko Joshua , Kueh Tze Jun , Smart Louise , Shakeel Muhammad
Published: January 2021

Primary thyroid squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is a rare and highly aggressive cancer. Diagnostic work-up encompasses cervical ultrasonography, tissue biopsy and CT scan. Surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy are the available treatment modalities. With a mean survival rate of 7 months reported in the literature, our patient is alive 2 years after successful treatment of her advanced primary thyroid SCC with surgery and radiotherapy.
Baffled with fever and lymphadenopathy: neither infection nor malignancy, think Kikuchi disease
Authors: Hussain Ali , Gondal Mohsin , Yousuf Hira , Iqbal Mubashar
Published: January 2021

Kikuchi disease is a rare, benign condition of unknown aetiology, which usually involves young women and is characterised by cervical lymphadenopathy and fever. Herein, we are reporting a case of a young Asian woman, who presented with fever and lymphadenopathy raising possibility of either infection or malignancy but after appropriate clinical investigations including lymph node biopsy, it turned out to be Kikuchi disease. She made an uneventful complete recovery with only symptomatic treatment.
Placental site trophoblastic tumour: five challenges of patient clinical management
Authors: Peixinho Catarina , Almeida Amélia , Bartosch Carla , Cruz Pires Mónica
Published: January 2021

Placental site trophoblastic tumour is a rare form of gestational trophoblastic disease accounting for about 1%–2% of all trophoblastic tumours. Diagnosis and management of placental site trophoblastic tumour can be difficult.

We report a case of a 30-year-old woman diagnosed with a placental site trophoblastic tumour and identify the challenges in diagnosis and treatment of this rare situation. The presenting sign was abnormal vaginal bleeding that started 3 months after delivery. Image exams revealed an enlarged uterus with a heterogeneous mass, with vesicular pattern, and the increased vascularisation serum human chorionic gonadotropin level was above normal range. The histological diagnosis was achieved through hysteroscopic biopsy. Staging exams revealed pulmonary micronodules. The patient was successfully treated with hysterectomy and chemotherapy. The latest follow-up (37 months after diagnosis) was uneventful, and the patient exhibited no signs of recurrence or metastasis.
Dynamic kinking of right coronary artery after the button Bentall procedure
Authors: Fukui Tomoki , Ogasawara Nobuyuki , Hasegawa Shinji
Published: January 2021

Postoperative coronary artery complications after Bentall procedures are well recognised but are rare and potentially fatal. There have been only five cases documenting percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for right coronary artery (RCA) involvements after button Bentall procedures. We describe a case of postoperative silent myocardial ischaemia in a 72-year-old man who underwent the button Bentall procedure for a right sinus of Valsalva aneurysm. On postoperative day 15, an RCA complication was incidentally detected by follow-up multidetector CT. Coronary angiography showed proximal RCA kinking, which was not an anastomosis but a native coronary artery. The patient underwent a successful PCI with drug-eluting stent implantation. We reviewed six cases consisting of this case and five previous cases treated with PCI. These cases enhance the recognition of potential RCA complications after the button Bentall procedure.