bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Potential Vorticity Generation by West African Squall Lines
Authors: Johnson Richard H. , Ciesielski Paul E.
Published: February 2020

The West African summer monsoon features multiple, complex interactions between African easterly waves (AEWs), moist convection, variable land surface properties, dust aerosols, and the diurnal cycle. One aspect of these interactions, the coupling between convection and AEWs, is explored using observations obtained during the 2006 African Monsoon Multidisciplinary Analyses (AMMA) field campaign. During AMMA, a research weather radar operated at Niamey, Niger, where it surveilled 28 squall-line systems characterized by leading convective lines and trailing stratiform regions. Nieto Ferreira et al. found that the squall lines were linked with the passage of AEWs and classified them into two tracks, northerly and southerly, based on the position of the African easterly jet (AEJ). Using AMMA sounding data, we create a composite of northerly squall lines that tracked on the cyclonic shear side of the AEJ. Latent heating within the trailing stratiform regions produced a midtropospheric positive potential vorticity (PV) anomaly centered at the melting level, as commonly observed in such systems. However, a unique aspect of these PV anomalies is that they combined with a 400–500-hPa positive PV anomaly extending southward from the Sahara. The latter feature is a consequence of the deep convective boundary layer over the hot Saharan Desert. Results provide evidence of a coupling and merging of two PV sources—one associated with the Saharan heat low and another with latent heating—that ends up creating a prominent midtropospheric positive PV maximum to the rear of West African squall lines.
Police-to-Hospital Transport for Violently Injured Individuals: A Way to Save Lives?
Authors: Jacoby Sara F. , Reeping Paul M. , Branas Charles C.
Published: February 2020

Transportation of violently injured individuals to the hospital by police, also known as “scoop and run,” may shorten the time between injury and hospital care when emergency medical services are delayed or unavailable. In this article, we explore the history and contemporary applications of this strategy and its broader impact on public safety systems. Current evidence suggests that when comparing police hospital transport and emergency medical services transport for violently injured individuals, survival rates are at least equivalent; in some studies, survival rates are better for violently injured individuals transported by police. Though understudied, police transport may improve survival for violently injured individuals as well as perceptions of police in communities where mistrust is common. Only a select few cities have codified this approach and police role. Geographic context, emergency response capacity, and the nature of encounters between law enforcement and victims of violence are important for other jurisdictions considering police-to-hospital transport.
Organizational Accidents and Deadly Police-Involved Violence: Some Thoughts on Extending Theory, Expanding Research, and Improving Police Practice
Authors: Klinger David
Published: February 2020

In recent years, violence by and against the police has been examined from the perspective of organizational accident theory. This article extends that work by reviewing some key ideas, identifying some limitations of organizational accident theory for understanding police-involved violence, and detailing some specific research topics for future empirical exploration. It concludes by offering some specific policy and practice recommendations to reduce police-involved violence.
Network Position and Police Who Shoot
Authors: Zhao Linda , Papachristos Andrew V.
Published: February 2020

This study applies the growing field of network science to explore whether police violence is associated with characteristics of an officer’s social networks and his or her placement within those networks. To do this, we re-create the network of police misconduct for the Chicago Police Department using more than 38,442 complaints filed against police officers between 2000 and 2003. Our statistical models reveal that officers who shoot at civilians are often “brokers” within the social networks of policing, occupying important positions between other actors in the network and often connecting otherwise disconnected parts of the social structure between other officers within larger networks of misconduct. This finding holds, even net measures of officer activity, career movement, and sociodemographic background. Our finding suggest that policies and interventions aimed at curbing police shootings should include not only individual assessments of risk but also an understanding of officers’ positions within larger social networks.
Getting High After Getting Out: Understanding the Relationship Between Support, Stressors, and Drug Use Among Men and Women in Early Reentry
Authors: Griffin Amber D. , Tasca Melinda , Orrick Erin A.
Published: February 2020

This study uses data from the Serious and Violent Offender Reentry Initiative (SVORI) to examine the effects of social support and stressors on self-reported illicit drug use among 1,074 recently released individuals (men = 874; women = 200). Three broad conclusions can be drawn from these findings: (a) Men were more likely than women to use drugs in the first 3 months following release from prison; (b) mental health and neighborhood quality were universal predictors of drug use in early reentry; and (c) social support, stressors, and individual and legal characteristics affected drug use for men and women differently. This work fills knowledge gaps related to the intersection of reentry, gender, and drug use within the context of correctional policy and practice.
Transnational employee voice and knowledge exchange in the multinational corporation: The European Company (SE) experience
Authors: Fiedler Antje , Casey Catherine , Fath Benjamin
Published: February 2020

The European Company ( Societas Europaea, SE) regulations include the highest mandatory provision for negotiation of transnational employee voice. What are the effects of transnational employee voice, enacted at works council and board levels, on knowledge exchange within the multinational corporation? This qualitative study of globally active SEs incorporated under the SE regulations that have ‘dual-forum’ transnational employee voice addresses that research gap. Our main contribution reveals that, over time, transnational employee voice facilitates multifaceted knowledge exchange, both widening the platform and strengthening relations for intra-multinational corporation collaboration. Alongside expressing labour interests as intended, dual-forum transnational employee voice stimulates managers and employees to develop mutually beneficial competencies and trust. These aid multilateral knowledge exchange. That knowledge, which includes factors affecting employees and quality of organizational and work life, also includes insights into country-specific market, industrial and operational issues. Importantly, dual-forum transnational voice fosters development of a participatory culture across the multinational corporation. Robust multifaceted knowledge exchange generates better-informed and more productive decision-making that yields plural socio-economic value.
Structuring Sustainable Universal Health Care in South Africa
Authors: Valiani Salimah
Published: February 2020

Intervening in debates around universal health care in South Africa, this article draws on class-based analytical tools from social medicine, political economy, and historical sociology. It is argued there are 3 keys to achieving sustainable universal health care in South Africa: addressing the socioeconomic roots of ill health; establishing a fully public, nonprofit health care system; and adequate investment in undervalued female workers who are the backbone of public health care. Each key is discussed with accompanying recommendations, using evidence from South Africa and other countries. Principal constraints are also identified through an analysis demonstrating the links between inequality, health care financing, and the monopoly structure of the South African health care industry.
Impulse for animal welfare outside the experiment
Authors: Lewejohann Lars , Schwabe Kerstin , Häger Christine , Jirkof Paulin
Published: February 2020

Animal welfare is a growing societal concern and the well-being of animals used for experimental purposes is under particular scrutiny. The vast majority of laboratory animals are mice living in small cages that do not offer very much variety. Moreover, the experimental procedure often takes very little time compared to the time these animals have been bred to the desired age or are being held available for animal experimentation. However, for the assessment of animal welfare, the time spent waiting for an experiment or the time spent after finishing an experiment has also to be taken into account. In addition to experimental animals, many additional animals (e.g. for breeding and maintenance of genetic lines, surplus animals) are related to animal experimentation and usually face similar living conditions. Therefore, in terms of improving the overall welfare of laboratory animals, there is not only a need for refinement of experimental conditions but especially for improving living conditions outside the experiment. The improvement of animal welfare thus depends to a large extent on the housing and maintenance conditions of all animals related to experimentation. Given the current state of animal welfare research there is indeed a great potential for improving the overall welfare of laboratory animals.
Mastoid, middle ear and inner ear analysis in CT scan – a possible contribution for the identification of remains
Authors: Rodrigues Henrique , Ramos Rosa , Fagundes Leoni , Galego Orlando , Navega David , Coelho João d'Oliveira , Alves Filipe Caseiro , Cunha Eugénica
Published: February 2020

Objective

We aimed to evaluate whether the internal structures of the human ear have anatomical characteristics that are sufficiently distinctive to contribute to human identification and use in a forensic context.

Materials and methods

After data anonymisation, a dataset containing temporal bone CT scans of 100 subjects was processed by a radiologist who was not involved in the study. Four reference images were selected for each subject. Of the original sample, 10 examinations were used for visual comparison, case by case, against the dataset of 100 patients. This visual assessment was performed independently by four observers, who evaluated the anatomical agreement using a Likert scale (1–5). Inter-observer agreement, true positive rate, positive predictive value, true negative rate, negative predictive value, false positive rate, false negative rate and positive likelihood ratio (LR+) were evaluated.

Results

Inter-observer agreement obtained an overall Cohen’s Kappa = 99.59%. True positive rate, positive predictive value, true negative rate and negative predictive value were all 100%.

Conclusion

Visual assessment of the mastoid examinations was shown to be a robust and reliable approach to identify unique osseous features and contribute to human identification. The statistical analysis indicates that regardless of the examiner’s background and training, the approach has a high degree of accuracy.
Depressive symptoms after stroke are associated with worse recovery
Authors: Lin Chen , Babiker Ahmed , Srdanovic Nina , Kocherginsky Masha , Harvey Richard L
Published: February 2020

Objective

More studies are needed on how depressive symptoms in stroke patients can impact outcomes. We evaluated the relationship between depression symptom severity and motor outcomes in a cohort of patients with motor impairment from ischemic stroke.

Method

We enrolled consecutive ischemic stroke patients without a clinical diagnosis of depression who presented to a single-center urban academic referral hospital. The Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) scale was used to measure depression symptom severity at three months. Three assessments of motor function were collected at stroke onset and three months: Fugl-Meyer upper extremity (FM-UE), Motricity Index, and Action Research Arm Test (ARAT). We assessed the association between three-month severity on PHQ-9 scores with the outcome measures using univariable and multivariable linear regression models.

Results

Fifty-seven patients (mean age 67.8 ± 17.0 years; 50.9% male; 59.6% Caucasian) were included in the final analysis. Mean (standard deviation) outcome scores at three months were PHQ-9: 6.39 (5), Motricity Index: 86.93 (30.04), FM-UE: 52.67 (17.83), and ARAT: 43.77 (20.03). After adjusting for age, initial National Institute of Health Stroke Scale, and if patient discharged after hospitalization on a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor, sex, and baseline motor outcome, we found that for every point increase in PHQ-9, the Motricity Index decreased by 0.82 points (p = 0.02) and the FM-UE decreased by 0.77 points (p = 0.049).

Conclusion

Depressive symptoms are common in the stroke population. Depressive symptoms after stroke are associated with multiple types of motor impairments. We need better understanding of the biologic and psychologic aspects of depression involved in stroke recovery.
Fuzzy boundaries: Simulation and expertise in bushfire prediction
Authors: Neale Timothy , May Daniel
Published: February 2020

It is becoming apparent that changes in climatic and demographic distributions are increasing the frequency and social impact of many ‘natural hazards’, including wildfires (or ‘bushfires’ in Australia). Across many national contexts, the governmental agencies legally responsible for ‘managing’ such hazards been called upon to provide greater foresight into the potential consequences, occurrence and behaviour of these dynamic phenomena. These conditions, of growing occurrence and expectation, have given rise to new anticipatory regimes, tools, practitioners and expertise tasked with revealing near and distant fiery futures. Drawing on interviews with Fire Behaviour Analysts from across the fire-prone continent of Australia, this article examines how their expertise has emerged and become institutionalized, exploring how its embedding in bushfire management agencies reveals cultural boundaries and tensions. This article provides important insight into the human and nonhuman infrastructures enrolled in predicting and managing landscape fires, foregrounding the wider social and political implications of these infrastructures and how their ‘fuzzy boundaries’ are negotiated by practitioners. Such empirical studies of expertise in practice are also, we suggest, necessary to the continued refinement of existing critiques of expertise as an individual capacity, derived from science and serving established social orders.
Identification of Reading Difficulties by a Digital Game-Based Assessment Technology
Authors: Hautala Jarkko , Heikkilä Riikka , Nieminen Lea , Rantanen Vesa , Latvala Juha-Matti , Richardson Ulla
Published: February 2020

Computerized game-based assessment (GBA) system for screening reading difficulties may provide substantial time and cost benefits over traditional paper-and-pencil assessment while providing means also to individually adapt learning content in educational games. To study the reliability and validity of a GBA system to identify struggling readers performing below a standard deviation from mean in paper-and-pencil test either in raw scores and grade-normative scores, a large-scale study with first to fourth grade students ( N = 723) was conducted, where GBA was administrated as a group test by tablet devices. Overall, the results indicated that the GBA can be successfully used to identify students with reading difficulties with acceptable reliability. Although the reliability of the results were at a very good level overall, the identification was even better in the reading fluency than in reading accuracy and in terms of raw scores than in grade-normative scores. These findings are the first to demonstrate the promise of GBA in assessing reading skills reliably and in a cost-efficient manner in classrooms. Furthermore, the developed GBA is directly applicable to an educational game for successfully supporting reading development of learners with varying levels of reading skill.
Global Pay Transparency: An Employee Perspective
Authors: Scott Dow , Antoni Conny , Grodzicki Jacek , Morales Emilio , Peláez Jose
Published: February 2020

Countries differ with regard to culture, employment laws and employment traditions and practices, all of which suggest that employees may have different perceptions of the degree to which their company is transparent about pay as well as their own preferences for pay transparency. This study examines, from an employee perspective, how pay transparency and pay transparency preferences differ across multiple countries in Central America, North America and Europe. Pay communications, pay transparency and pay transparency preferences differed among respondents of the countries studied. However, Hofstede’s culture l country measures, uncertainty avoidance, lower levels of individualism and lower levels of power distance were not associated with preferences for pay transparency as might be expected from the literature. Although pay transparency preferences are not related to employee perceptions regarding employer pay communications, pay transparency preferences are related to pay transparency.
Strategic policy narratives: A narrative policy study of the Columbia River Crossing
Authors: Brewer Adam M
Published: February 2020

This study examines how coalitions in local policy contexts implore policy narratives to expand or contain the scope of policy issues. The Narrative Policy Framework (NPF), a maturing theory of the policy process, is utilized in this study to conduct content analysis on 370 public documents from competing coalitions in relation to the Columbia River Crossing project; a “wicked” policy issue in the Portland, OR/Vancouver, WA region of the Pacific Northwest. From this case selection, it is hypothesized that competing coalitions will use narrative strategies of containment and expansion to achieve their desired policy outcomes. It is also theorized that shocks to a policy subsystem may result in a shift to coalitional narrative strategies. This research will shed light on how coalitions strategically implore policy narratives in cohesive and less cohesive ways to influence policy outcomes.
British local authority planners, planning reform and everyday practices within the state
Authors: Clifford Ben
Published: February 2020

Reform of the planning system, and the local authority context in which it operates, has been high on the political agenda for all governments in the United Kingdom in the 21st century, reflecting common broader international trends under New Public Management and neoliberalism. Whilst such reforms have been subject to a great deal of academic attention, much of this work has focused on central government perspectives and understands these reforms based on policy documents and Ministerial statements. Whilst revealing important contextual, ideological and intentional imperatives, such perspectives can overlook the way in which reforms are mediated by frontline professionals as they implement them. Drawing on extensive empirical data with British local authority planners considering their reaction to a host of recent reform initiatives such as changes to plan-making, performance targets, austerity and deregulation of planning controls, this paper outlines the importance of a focus on this everyday scale of governance. Arguing for a decentred approach, understanding the situated agency of professional planners, the paper concludes that policy implementation remains a messy process and that notions of professional identity and narratives about what it means to be a ‘good planner’ remain important in understanding reform specifically and ‘the state’ more generally.
Diagnostic evaluation of the BD Affirm VPIII assay as a point-of-care test for the diagnosis of bacterial vaginosis, trichomoniasis and candidiasis
Authors: Dessai Fazana , Nyirenda Makandwe , Sebitloane Motshedisi , Abbai Nathlee
Published: February 2020

Untreated sexually transmitted infections and bacterial vaginosis (BV) pose a serious health risk to mother and child. Limited data exist on the use of the BD Affirm™ VPIII assay as a point-of-care test (POCT). The performance of the BD Affirm™ VPIII assay was compared with the BD Max™ vaginal assay for the diagnosis of BV, Trichomonas vaginalis (TV) and Candida spp. A total of 273 pregnant women were enrolled in this study and had provided two self-collected vaginal swabs. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value and prevalence were calculated. The prevalence of BV, candidiasis and trichomoniasis was 49.4, 57.2 and 10.3%, respectively. The BD Affirm™ VPIII assay showed a moderate sensitivity (79.8%) and a moderate specificity (80.3%) for diagnosing BV in all participants. The BD Affirm™ VPIII assay had an excellent specificity for Candida spp. and TV of 97.4 and 100%, respectively; however, the assay exhibited poor sensitivities of 52.9 and 46.4%, respectively. This study was the first to report on the performance of the BD Affirm™ VPIII assay as a POCT in an antenatal population. The assay was found to be unsuitable as a screening test for vaginal infections in pregnancy.
Book Review: Shiping Tang. 2011. A General Theory of Institutional Change
Authors: Srivastava Shashi Kant , Srivastava Khushi
Published: February 2020

Shiping Tang. 2011. A General Theory of Institutional Change. Routledge, pp. 117, ₹2981.00, ISBN: 978–0–415–59769–2 (hbk), ISBN: 978–0–203–83472–5 (ebk).
Infrastructures of Feeling and the Right to the City
Authors: Rosati Clayton
Published: February 2020

For over sixteen years, I have been tracing and retracing an idea through a set of projects involving the political economy and cultural politics of infrastructure—especially, the infrastructure of media. When I began those projects as a graduate student, my concern was a frustration with the image-centered studies of media and culture, which tended to get bogged down in representational politics and a focus on the micropolitics of interpretation and use. Infrastructure attracts similar debates, as anything from a train tunnel to a water use meter can be appropriated and used in unauthorized or subversive ways. The physicality of infrastructure and the relationships it has with the materiality of ideas, ideologies, and social processes is a growing dimension of cultural inquiry around inequality and power, especially in the study of electronic devices.

In this article, I will report on a strand of my research that explores an urban history of interactive media that unfolds into our contemporary world of automated ecologies of surveillance, marketing, disinformation, and covert politics. In recent iterations, this strand intersects with the increasingly popular concept of the ‘right to the city.’
Numerical investigation of radon dispersion and dose assessment for typical ventilation schemes with an air purifier
Authors: Xie Dong , Wang Chenhua , Yu Chuck W , Wang Hanqing
Published: February 2020

Radon is a radioactive pollutant that could pose hazards to the surrounding environment and people due to its radioactive decay progenies. In this study, numerical simulations of radon dispersion were conducted under natural and mechanical ventilation with an air-purifier for radon. Factors such as the air supply speed, position and air supply angles of the purifier were considered. Results showed that the increase in the air supply speed from the purifier was an effective solution to reduce indoor radon pollution. The effect was better when the purifier was in the middle of the room. The purification effect was similar when the air supply changed under natural ventilation, while purification function was more effective when the air supply angle was 60° under the mechanical ventilation condition. An effective dose estimation involving typical ventilation schemes with radon purifier was evaluated. Using this approach, the radiation effect on occupants was computed. The calculated effective dose was 0.9 mSv y−1 when the air supply speed of the purifier was 0.2 m s−1 under natural ventilation. As a result, the effective dose calculated was under the annual effective dose limit of 3–10 mSv y−1 recommended by the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) for public exposure.
Light transmitting performance and energy-saving of plastic optical fibre transparent concrete products
Authors: Shen Juan , Zhou Zhi
Published: February 2020

Buildings consume large amounts of energy, and lighting consumes a substantial amount of this energy. Therefore, an alternative technology that depends more on natural lighting is needed in order to reduce the building energy consumption. In this paper, based on the excellent properties of light guiding and elasto-optic effect of optical fibre, a novel transparent concrete with plastic optical fibres (POFs) arranged into the concrete was developed and evaluated. The light transmitting performance of plastic optical fibre transparent concrete product (PTCP) was tested by optical power method. The ZEMAX software was used to simulate the transparent test, and the prediction model was established to predict the light transmittance of PTCP. The evaluation of the energy-saving effect due to the use of this building material was studied using the Autodesk Ecotect software. The results showed that PTCP possesses excellent light transmittance property, which was proportional to the content of the optical fibres. The model established by ZEMAX can effectively predict the transmittance of PTCP. The average daylighting factor of the room built with PTCP was increased by nearly 30%, the lighting uniformity was upgraded by nearly 40% and nearly 20% reduction in energy consumption was realised.
Experimental analysis of zero-gap laser welding of zinccoated steels in a lap joint configuration
Authors: Franz Alexander , Paethe Dieter , Dilger Klaus
Published: February 2020

Automotive manufacturing requires high productive manufacturing technologies to ensure a high-volume efficient production. Joining metal sheets in an overlap joint configuration of zinc-coated steel is an important task for body-in-white production. This paper describes the influence of different spot sizes regarding process stability in laser beam welding. Therefore, welds were performed in an overlap joint configuration with fully penetrated welds. Relevant material combinations for automotive industry were investigated. A broad-based parameter study and the analysis of interaction between spot- and keyhole diameter state a higher process stability. Welds with a smaller spot diameter lead to a sufficient increase of joint quality by using a zero gap overlap configuration. It is shown that the amount of joint instabilities such as pores, pinholes, spatter and further defects can be minimized by using smaller spot diameters. This can be explained by different keyhole regimes. Moreover, the change of isothermal interaction in the interlayer zone caused by the adjusted spot diameter leads to high-quality joints.
Co-creating participation tools with children within child protection services: What lessons we can learn from the children
Authors: van Bijleveld Ganna G , de Vetten Marjonneke , Dedding Christine WM
Published: February 2020

Nowadays, the question no longer is whether children should participate in the decision-making process of issues that affect their lives; the focus lies, instead, on how to ensure that children can participate in a meaningful way. Participation in child protection proceedings has proved difficult to achieve. Where children indicate that the attitude and relationship with the case manager is an important barrier, case managers refer to their responsibility to protect vulnerable children. They feel they miss tools to facilitate child participation within such a complicated process. Instead of developing participation tools with case managers, we decided to start by asking children what they believed would be helpful to make themselves heard. Children, with the help of an industrial designer, developed several tools that they believe can facilitate participation in family meetings. Interestingly, the tools the children designed were all directed at who is talking when, to whom and how, and not at what they want to say. This shows that the conditions children say they need for effective participation comprise different aspects than the conditions mentioned in literature and by professionals, underpinning the value of involving children in creating solutions.
Use of 3-D navigation to target the site of autologous blood installation for lung volume reduction in bullous emphysema
Authors: Hetzel Juergen , Boeckeler Michael , Lewis Richard A , Horger Marius , Haentschel Maik
Published: February 2020

Bronchoscopic lung volume reduction (BLVR) using intrabullous autologous blood instillation has been reported in single cases where other techniques are not possible. We present the use of three-dimensional navigation to instill autologous blood into emphysematous bullae for BLVR. A 62-year-old man presented with increasing dyspnea, due to emphysema with a conglomerate of giant bullae with two particularly large bullae. Surgical treatment was refused, so bronchoscopic autologous blood instillation into the bronchial segment leading to the large bullae was attempted, but was unsuccessful; blood failed to penetrate into the bullous cavity. Dyspnea worsened over the following year. We therefore performed another bronchoscopy and punctured a large bulla with a needle and created a tunnel from the central airways. Puncture position and direction were determined using a prototype of an electromagnetic navigation system. Under fluoroscopic guidance, a catheter was placed via the tunnel into the bulla and blood was instilled. This resulted in an almost complete shrinkage of the bullae, reduction of residual volume, and marked improvement in dyspnea within 4 months. To our knowledge, this is the first reported case of successful BLVR by navigated bronchoscopy with transbronchial puncture, dilatation, and autologous blood instillation into a giant bulla.
A photovoltaic textile design with a stainless steel mesh fabric
Authors: Borazan İsmail , Bedeloglu Ayse C , Demir Ali
Published: February 2020

Solar energy is one of the most popular energy sources among the other renewable energies. Photovoltaic technology is a clean way to generate electricity from sunlight. Flexible photovoltaics enable portable electronic devices to power at off-grid conditions. Stainless steel mesh fabric was used as a substrate and electrode allowing the light to reach the photoactive layer. The photoactive layer and hole transport layer were deposited by the means of dip-coating like in the textile industry. The metal back electrode was evaporated in a thermal evaporator under vacuum. Promising results were obtained from photovoltaic measurements. About 0.69% power conversion efficiency was obtained from textile-based solar cells in this study. The textile-based metal fabric enables a flexible photovoltaic structure that can be integrated on non-planar surfaces to generate electricity, and also mesh structure allows the light to reach the photoactive layer.
Disclosure of Amyloid Status for Risk of Alzheimer Disease to Cognitively Normal Research Participants With Subjective Cognitive Decline: A Longitudinal Study
Authors: Wake Taisei , Tabuchi Hajime , Funaki Kei , Ito Daisuke , Yamagata Bun , Yoshizaki Takahito , Nakahara Tadaki , Jinzaki Masahiro , Yoshimasu Haruo , Tanahashi Iori , Shimazaki Hiroumi , Mimura Masaru
Published: February 2020

This study aimed to investigate the long-term impacts of disclosing amyloid status for a risk of Alzheimer disease (AD) to cognitively normal research participants with subjective cognitive decline (SCD), which represents an initial manifestation of AD. Forty-two participants were classified as the amyloid-positive ( n = 10) or amyloid-negative ( n = 32) groups. We assessed symptoms of anxiety, depression, and test-related distress at 6, 24, and 52 weeks after results disclosure. No difference was found over time in anxiety, depression, and test-related distress in either group. Although no significant differences were observed between groups in anxiety or depression, the amyloid-negative group had a significantly higher level of test-related distress than the amyloid-positive group at 52 weeks. Disclosing amyloid status to cognitively healthy research participants with SCD did not cause significant long-term psychological risks. However, a theoretical spectrum of subjective concern may exist about cognitive decline in amyloid-negative individuals.
Salidroside promotes sciatic nerve regeneration following combined application epimysium conduit and Schwann cells in rats
Authors: Li Jiaqi , Zhang Yongguang , Yang Zhimin , Zhang Jingxian , Lin Ren , Luo Daoshu
Published: February 2020

Schwann cell and nerve conduit are crucial for nerve regeneration and re-myelination after peripheral nerves injury. To investigate the effects of Salidroside on autogenous epimysium conduit mixed with BD matrigel and RSC96 Schwann cells on an animal model with 5 mm sciatic nerve defect injury in rat, motor function, muscle reinnervation, immunohistochemical staining, retrograded tracing and Western blot were used in this study. The results showed that Salidroside enhanced the compound effects of epimysium conduit mixed with BD matrigel and RSC96 Schwann cells to improve the sciatic functional index and the gastrocnemius muscle weight ratio, which were better than EPM group at 8 weeks and 12 weeks post operation. Immunofluorescence and Western blot results of P75NTRshowed that Salidroside improved the sciatic nerve regeneration, and retrograded tracing of CTB-Alexa 488 also supported that Salidroside was better to promote CTB tracer transporting from the distal nerve defect to the ipsilateral dorsal root ganglion and ventral horn of L3-L5 spinal cord on post-operation 8 weeks and 12 weeks. Our results demonstrated that Salidroside improved the effect of autogenous epimysium conduit mixed with BD matrigel and RSC96 Schwann cells on sciatic nerve regeneration in our study.

Impact statement

Peripheral nerve injury and regeneration remain a major challenge. Although nerve conduit and Schwann cells have been used to study the nerve regeneration, our results demonstrated that Salidroside improved the regenerative effect in a rat model with sciatic nerve injury model, following a combined application of autogenous epimysium conduit mixed with Schwann cells. Different concentrations of Salidroside combining autogenous epimysium conduit and Schwann cells were applied to compare the epimysium conduit group and the epimysium conduit combining Schwann cells group. Based on the results of motor function and muscle reinnervation evaluation, as well as neuronal tracing and expression of P75NTR, our study for the first time suggests that Salidroside may improve the regeneration effect on the sciatic nerve following a combined application of epimysium conduit and RSC96 Schwann cells in rats.
AFaaS: Authorization framework as a service for Internet of Things based on interoperable OAuth
Authors: Oh Se-Ra , Kim Young-Gab
Published: February 2020

Internet of Things has become a fundamental paradigm in our everyday lives. However, standards and technologies are often designed without considering interoperability, which is a critical issue for Internet of Things. Internet of Things environment requires interoperability to share resources (e.g. data and services) between heterogeneous Internet of Things domains. The open authorization (OAuth) 2.0 framework that is actively used in Internet of Things (as well as in conventional web environments) also did not focus on interoperability. In other words, the systems that implement the same OAuth 2.0 standard cannot interoperate without additional support. For this reason, we propose an authorization framework as a service. Authorization framework as a service provides an additional authorization layer to support standard authorization capabilities as an interoperable secure wrapper between different domains. Besides, authorization framework as a service supports the four extended authorization grant flow types to issue an interoperable access token, which has a global access scope across multiple heterogeneous domains. With the authorization framework as a service, interoperability can be supported for heterogeneous domains, and token management can also be simple because an interoperable access token can represent several existing access tokens that have local access scopes. Furthermore, this article presents a feasible interoperability scenario, implementation, and security considerations for authorization framework as a service, focusing on Internet of Things platforms.
Research on waterborne collision avoidance and early warning algorithm based on location data
Authors: Deng Shejun , Zhong Yuyi , Wu Zhijin , Wang Min , Zhu Lvkai , Yu Hongru
Published: February 2020

Zhenjiang Dagang Ferry, located in the middle and upper reaches of the Yangtze River Jiangsu section, is full of different types of ships. The steam ferry crosses the waterway and frequently meets with the passing ships, inducing water collision accidents. This article, taking cross-river ferrys and normal navigation ships as research subjects, proposes an algorithm for water navigation collision avoidance based on position data. First, by analyzing the dynamic coordinate of the ferry and navigation vessel, their navigation trajectories are predicted respectively. Second, the time when they arrive at the possible collision point is calculated, the type of traffic conflict is determined, the drive’s collision avoidance response time is considered, and a warning criterion for early warning is established. Finally, the proposed warning algorithm is analyzed to check to what extent the warning can help the ship avoid the collision. Sixteen sets of data showing the navigation of the ships are selected to compare the effect of the warning algorithm with the radar warning method. The research results show that the application of the algorithm can avoid unnecessary alarm, false alarm, and alarm failure the radar warnings have, improving the accuracy and helping avoid the collision accidents.
What are the practices of unethical leaders? Exploring how teachers experience the “dark side” of administrative leadership
Authors: Sam Cecile H
Published: February 2020

This article is one of the few empirical studies exploring the “dark side” of ethical leadership. Using Oplatka’s Irresponsible Leadership as an unethical leadership framework, the qualitative study explores how teachers conceptualize and experience unethical administrative leadership at their respective schools in the United States. This study found that amongst the unethical practices reported, they coalesced into six themes: absenteeism, indiscreet information sharing, disregard for the dignity of persons, abuses of power, displays of favoritism, and prioritizing personal gain.
Democracy in Indonesian Strategic Narratives. A New Framework of Coherence Analysis
Authors: Grzywacz Anna
Published: February 2020

Indonesia’s rise, its democracy promotion, and engagement in the democratisation of regional institutions have often been analysed in scholarly literature in the recent years. Indonesia’s “democratic turn,” both internal and external, increased its relevance in international relations. The academic discussion focuses on the role and meaning of Indonesia’s contribution. The aim of this article is to broaden the debate by analysing the meaning of “democracy” in Indonesian narrative investigated from the perspective of the strategic narratives concept and to propose a new framework for the assessment of narrative based on its coherence. Therefore, the research question is – Are the strategic narratives of democracy articulated by Indonesia coherent? The analysis shows, and it is an argument, that with some exceptions strategic narratives are incoherent and this incoherence has two dimensions: intra- and inter-incoherence. The argument is substantiated by an analysis of Indonesian foreign policy strategies and political speeches.
Particulated Cartilage for Chondral and Osteochondral Repair: A Review
Authors: Christensen Bjørn Borsøe , Olesen Morten Lykke , Hede Kris Tvilum Chadwick , Bergholt Natasja Leth , Foldager Casper Bindzus , Lind Martin
Published: February 2020

Introduction

Injuries to articular cartilage have a poor spontaneous repair potential and no gold standard treatment exist. Particulated cartilage, both auto- and allograft, is a promising new treatment method that circumvents the high cost of scaffold- and cell-based treatments.

Materials and Methods

A comprehensive database search on particulated cartilage was performed.

Results

Fourteen animal studies have found particulated cartilage to be an effective treatment for cartilage injuries. Many studies suggest that juvenile cartilage has increased regenerative potential compared to adult cartilage. Sixteen clinical studies on 4 different treatment methods have been published. (1) CAIS, particulated autologous cartilage in a scaffold, (2) Denovo NT, juvenile human allograft cartilage embedded in fibrin glue, (3) autologous cartilage chips—with and without concomitant bone grafting, and (4) augmented autologous cartilage chips.

Conclusion

Implantation of allogeneic and autologous particulated cartilage provides a low cost and effective treatment alternative to microfracture and autologous chondrocyte implantation. The methods are promising, but large randomized controlled studies are needed.
Pulmonary artery aneurysm: a review
Authors: Gupta Mridul , Agrawal Abhinav , Iakovou Annamaria , Cohen Stuart , Shah Rakesh , Talwar Arunabh
Published: February 2020

Pulmonary artery aneurysm is a rare but important entity in the spectrum of pulmonary vascular diseases. The etiologies can be varied and patients can present with non‐specific symptoms with the diagnosis being incidental. There is limited consensus regarding the diagnostic criteria and follow‐up imaging for patients diagnosed with this entity. Further the management strategies can be variable depending upon underlying disease, etiology, center dependent expertise, and resources available. We review the etiologies, epidemiology, classification, clinical manifestations, and imaging features of pulmonary artery aneurysm. We also review the current management strategies and suggest an algorithmic approach to these patients.
Addition of a bilateral access form of peripheral extracorporeal membrane oxygenation rescued a patient with idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension who developed circulatory collapse immediately after childbirth
Authors: Adachi Shiro , Shimokata Shigetake , Yoshida Masahiro , Imai Ryo , Nakano Yoshihisa , Okumura Naoki , Suzuki Susumu , Murohara Toyoaki , Kondo Takahisa
Published: February 2020

Pregnancy is not advised for patients with Pulmonary hypertension (PH) because of high risk of PH crisis. However, some patients have undiagnosed idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension (IPAH) before pregnancy. Upfront combination therapy has high efficacy for patients with IPAH. However, some patients are unable to stand until upfront combination therapy has worked sufficiently. The extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) system has been proposed as a bridging therapy to recovery for patients with IPAH. Here, we report a case where a novel form of peripheral ECMO assist plus upfront combination therapy containing intravenous epoprostenol rescued a female patient diagnosed with IPAH just after childbirth. Following this treatment, the patient could successfully transition from intravenous epoprostenol to oral selexipag.
A multifaceted investigation into molecular associations of chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension pathogenesis
Authors: Halliday Stephen J , Matthews Daniel T , Talati Megha H , Austin Eric D , Su Yan R , Absi Tarek S , Fortune Niki L , Gailani David , Matafonov Anton , West James D , Hemnes Anna R
Published: February 2020

Purpose

Chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension is characterized by incomplete thrombus resolution following acute pulmonary embolism, leading to pulmonary hypertension and right ventricular dysfunction. Conditions such as thrombophilias, dysfibrinogenemias, and inflammatory states have been associated with chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension, but molecular mechanisms underlying this disease are poorly understood. We sought to characterize the molecular and functional features associated with chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension using a multifaceted approach.

Methods

We utilized functional assays to compare clot lysis times between chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension patients and multiple controls. We then performed immunohistochemical characterization of tissue from chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension, pulmonary arterial hypertension, and healthy controls, and examined RNA expression patterns of cultured lymphocytes and pulmonary arterial specimens. We then confirmed RNA expression changes using immunohistochemistry, immunofluorescence, and Western blotting in pulmonary arterial tissue.

Results

Clot lysis times in chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension patients are similar to multiple controls. Chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension endarterectomized tissue has reduced expression of both smooth muscle and endothelial cell markers. RNA expression profiles in pulmonary arteries and peripheral blood lymphocytes identified differences in RNA transcript levels related to inflammation and growth factor signaling, which we confirmed using immunohistochemistry. Gene expression data also suggested significant alterations in metabolic pathways, and immunofluorescence and Western blot experiments confirmed that unglycosylated CD36 and adiponectin expression were increased in chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension versus controls.

Conclusions

Our data do not support impaired clot lysis underlying chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension, but did demonstrate distinct molecular patterns present both in peripheral blood and in pathologic specimens of chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension patients suggesting that altered metabolism may play a role in chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension pathogenesis.