bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
IN VITRO INOCULATION OF ASPARAGUS OFFICINALIS TISSUE CULTURE SHOOTS WITH FUSARIUM PROLIFERA TUM
Authors: NORULAINI N.A.R. NIK , SALLEH B. , ISKANDAR R.A.R. , OMAR A.K. MOHD
Published: October 2019

ABSTRACT Artificially inoculated asparagus tissue culture plantlets with a virulent fungus,Â  Fusarium proliferatum showed signs of infection as early as 4 days after inoculation. Macroscopic observations revealed presence of early symptoms such as necrotic lesions at the affected area and light microscopic examinations clearly revealed the post-penetration events that took place including the destruction of surrounding cells. However, little is known of the hyphal activity or advancement on the host's surface at the initial stage after inoculation. Scanning electron microscopic examination clearly revealed the hyphal advancement on the surface and the mode of entrance into the host tissues beneath. Four days after inoculation, the fungi proceeded to spread out from the inoculation point onto the host surface which eventually developed into a sparse network of both aerial and non-aerial hyphae. Non-aerial hyphae form a network of mycelium that adheres to the surface and it's movement appeared to be oriented towards the stomata. Hyphal penetration occurs more often through the stomata, natural openings or wounds. In some cases, the hyphae crossed over the stomatal opening without entering the host tissues. At places where the cuticle layer is absent or not well developed the hyphae successfully grew in between the epidermal cells into the tissues beneath. Key words: Tissue culture/Asparagus officinalis/shoots/Artificial inoculstion/Fusarium proliferatum.
MORPHOMETRIC STUDY FOR IDENTIFICATION OF THE BACTROCERA DORSALIS COMPLEX (DIPTERA : TEPHRITIDAE) USING WING IMAGE ANALYSIS
Authors: ADSAVAKULCHAI' A. , BAIMAI V. , PRACHYABRUED W. , GROTE PAUL J. , LERTLUM S,
Published: October 2019

The Bactrocera dorsalis complex (Diptera: Tephritidae) used in this study included B. dorsalis, B. arecae, B. propinqua, B. pyrifoliae, B. verbascifoliae, and three new species complexes are species E, species K and species P. Bactrocera tau was used as an out-group. A total of 424 adults, which emerged from pupae collected from natural populations in Thailand, were prepared for wing measurements. Morphometric analysis was performed on measurements of wing vein characters. Wing images were captured in digital format and taken through digitalÂ  image processing to calculate the Euclidean distance between wing vein junctions. Discriminant and cluster analyses were used for dichotomy of classification processes. All 424 wing specimens were classified to species in terms of the percentage of "grouped" cases which yielded about 89.6% accurate identification compared with the formal description of these species. After clustering, the percentage of "grouped"cases yielded 100.0%, 98.9%, 98.1%, 95.2% and 84.6% accurate identification between the B. dorsalis complex and B. tau; B. arecae and Species E; B. dorsalis and B. verbascifoliae; B. propinqua and B. pyrifoliae; and species K and species P, respectively. This method of numerical taxonomy may be useful for practical identification of other groups of agricultural pests. Key words: Bactrocera dorsalis complex/wing image processing/morphometric/discriminant and cluster analyses.
Rapamycin-Loaded Biomimetic Nanoparticles Reverse Vascular Inflammation
Authors: Boada Christian , Zinger Assaf , Tsao Christopher , Zhao Picheng , Martinez Jonathan O. , Hartman Kelly , Naoi Tomoyuki , Sukhovershin Roman , Sushnitha Manuela , Molinaro Roberto , Trachtenberg Barry , Cooke John P. , Tasciotti Ennio
Published: October 2019

Rationale:

Through localized delivery of rapamycin via a biomimetic drug delivery system, it is possible to reduce vascular inflammation and thus the progression of vascular disease.

Objective:

Use biomimetic nanoparticles to deliver rapamycin to the vessel wall to reduce inflammation in an in vivo model of atherosclerosis after a short dosing schedule.

Methods and Results:

Biomimetic nanoparticles (leukosomes) were synthesized using membrane proteins purified from activated J774 macrophages. Rapamycin-loaded nanoparticles were characterized using dynamic light scattering and were found to have a diameter of 108±2.3 nm, a surface charge of −15.4±14.4 mV, and a polydispersity index of 0.11 +/ 0.2. For in vivo studies, ApoE
−/−
mice were fed a high-fat diet for 12 weeks. Mice were injected with either PBS, free rapamycin (5 mg/kg), or rapamycin-loaded leukosomes (Leuko-Rapa; 5 mg/kg) once daily for 7 days. In mice treated with Leuko-Rapa, flow cytometry of disaggregated aortic tissue revealed fewer proliferating macrophages in the aorta (15.6±9.79 %) compared with untreated mice (30.2±13.34 %) and rapamycin alone (26.8±9.87 %). Decreased macrophage proliferation correlated with decreased levels of MCP (monocyte chemoattractant protein)-1 and IL (interleukin)-b1 in mice treated with Leuko-Rapa. Furthermore, Leuko-Rapa–treated mice also displayed significantly decreased MMP (matrix metalloproteinases) activity in the aorta (mean difference 2554±363.9,
P
=9.95122×10
−6
). No significant changes in metabolic or inflammation markers observed in liver metabolic assays. Histological analysis showed improvements in lung morphology, with no alterations in heart, spleen, lung, or liver in Leuko-Rapa–treated mice.

Conclusions:

We showed that our biomimetic nanoparticles showed a decrease in proliferating macrophage population that was accompanied by the reduction of key proinflammatory cytokines and changes in plaque morphology. This proof-of-concept showed that our platform was capable of suppressing macrophage proliferation within the aorta after a short dosing schedule (7 days) and with a favorable toxicity profile. This treatment could be a promising intervention for the acute stabilization of late-stage plaques.
Derivation and Validation of a Nomogram to Predict In‐Hospital Complications in Children with Tetralogy of Fallot Repaired at an Older Age
Authors: Liu Hong , Zheng Si‐qiang , Li Xin‐ya , Zeng Zhi‐hua , Zhong Ji‐sheng , Chen Jun‐quan , Chen Tao , Liu Zhi‐gang , Liu Xiao‐cheng , Shao Yong‐feng
Published: October 2019

Background

We aimed to develop and validate a prediction model for in‐hospital complications in children with tetralogy of Fallot repaired at an older age.

Methods and Results

A total of 513 pediatric patients from the Tianjin data set formed a derivation cohort, and 158 pediatric patients from the Hefei and Xiamen data sets formed validation cohorts. We applied least absolute shrinkage and selection operator analysis for variable selection and logistic regression coefficients for risk scoring. We classified patients into different risk categorizations by threshold analysis and investigated the association with in‐hospital complications using logistic regression. In‐hospital complications were defined as death, need for extensive pharmacologic support (vasoactive‐inotrope score of ≥20), and need for mechanical circulatory support. We developed a nomogram based on risk classifier and independent baseline variables using a multivariable logistic model. Based on risk scores weighted by 11 preoperative and 4 intraoperative selected variables, we classified patients as low, intermediate, and high risk in the derivation cohort. With reference to the low‐risk group, the intermediate‐ and high‐risk groups conferred significantly higher in‐hospital complication risks (adjusted odds ratio: 2.721 [95% CI, 1.267–5.841],
P
=0.0102; 9.297 [95% CI, 4.601–18.786],
P
<0.0001). A nomogram integrating the
ARIAR
‐Risk classifier (absolute and relative low risk, intermediate risk, and aggressive and refractory high risk) with age and mean blood pressure showed good discrimination and goodness‐of‐fit for derivation (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve: 0.785 [95%
CI
, 0.731–0.839]; Hosmer‐Lemeshow test,
P
=0.544) and external validation (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve: 0.759 [95%
CI
, 0.636–0.881]; Hosmer‐Lemeshow test,
P
=0.508).

Conclusions

A risk‐classifier–oriented nomogram is a reliable prediction model for in‐hospital complications in children with tetralogy of Fallot repaired at an older age, and strengthens risk/benefit–based decision‐making.
The Category of Beauty in the Poetry of Innokenty Annensky
Authors: Zayats Mikhail S.
Published: October 2019

In this work we decided to examine the creative path of Innokenty Annensky, since his attitude to some extent seems close to us, who have recently passed the Turn of the centuries. The Turn of the centuries is a shift of epochs not only in philosophy and history, but also in the history of culture. Namely during this period a new human personality is formed, its soul is utterly exposed in the face of life and time, which is tragically contradictory, full of expectations of terrible catastrophic changes in the universe, anxiety about the fate of mankind. The article traces how the works of I. Annensky were influenced by the ancient aesthetics, based on the power of Beauty, its opportunities to transform and change the universe. The poetic premonitions of the poet of the Silver Age in the era of the Turn of the centuries are shown in this article.
The Image of the Future in the Philosophical and Artistic Versions of Russian Cosmism
Authors: Gacheva Anastasia G.
Published: October 2019

The article is devoted to the peculiarities of the interpretation of the image of the future in the philosophical tradition of Russian cosmism, as well as the echoes of this vision of the future in Russian writers of the xx century. Cosmists consider reality from the point of view of what it should be, respectively, the image of the future is a model of the perfect state of the world and man. The future for them is projective, and this project should be embodied in reality. Key characteristics of the image of the future in Russian cosmism: axiology, alternative, universality, cosmicity, immortalism, unity of personality and community, assuming the completeness of the development and interaction of both. The future for Russian cosmists is connected with the transition from technical progress, increasing the power of man in the world through artificial tools, to organic progress, associated with the improvement of the human body. Artistic projections of the image of the future are given in the literary texts of the cosmists themselves (K.E. Tsiolkovsky’s sci-Fi works, V. N. Muravyev’s philosophical mystery Sofia and Kitovras), as well as in the poetry of V. Bryusov, V. Mayakovsky, V. Khlebnikov, N. Zabolotsky, in the novels of A. Belyaev and I. Efremov.
One Belt – One Way: Perspectives on the Research and Distribution of Contemporary Literature in China
Authors: Sharifova Salida
Published: October 2019

Project One Belt – One Way opens up new opportunities. On the one hand, to provide for the translation of contemporary Chinese authors into foreign languages, and on the other, to carry out a literary analysis of these works in terms of principles and methods characteristic of Western literary criticism. And this will allow the literary circles of various countries to consider contemporary Chinese literature as part of the world cultural heritage.
On a collection of hydroids (Cnidaria, Hydrozoa) from the southwest coast of Florida, USA
Authors: CALDER DALE R.
Published: October 2019

Sixty species of hydroids, assigned to 24 families and 39 genera, are recognized and discussed in a collection of material from the southwest coast of Florida. One new species (Clytia joycei) is described from turtlegrass (Thalassia testudinum) and reported as well from the Caribbean coast of Panama. Under provisions of the First Reviser Principle in the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature, Antennopsis nigra Nutting, 1900 is assigned precedence over its simultaneous synonym A. longicorna Nutting, 1900. Also included as a synonym of A. nigra is A. sinuosa Fraser, 1947b. The species is now assigned to Nemertesia Lamouroux, 1816, as N. nigra. Following Reversal of Precedence provisions in the code, the well-known name Halecium nanum Alder, 1859 is designated as valid and conserved as a nomen protectum, while Hydra articulata Bosc, 1797 is relegated to a nomen oblitum. The genus Monotheca Nutting, 1900 is upheld as valid on the basis of both morphological and molecular evidence. Sertularia pourtalesi Nutting, 1904, a seldom-reported species, is assigned to Dynamena Lamouroux, 1812 and recognized as distinct from D. disticha (Bosc, 1802). Calyptospadix cerulea Clarke, 1882 and Bimeria franciscana Torrey, 1902 (also known as Garveia franciscana) are taken to be conspecific, with Calyptospadix Clarke, 1882 treated as a valid genus. Confusion over the identity of Lovenella gracilis Clarke, 1882 in literature on North American hydroids is addressed, and topotypic specimens from the Chesapeake Bay region are illustrated to document characters that distinguish the species. Campanularia colombiana (Wedler, 1976) is reported for the first time outside the Caribbean coast of Colombia. The fauna studied here consists largely of species known to occur in the tropical and subtropical western Atlantic. [Zoobank URL: urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:4C926BE2-D75D-449A-9EAD-14CADACFFADD]
Treatment of Methyl Blue Wastewater by Steel Slag Particle Three-Dimensional Electrode System
Authors: Teng Xiaolei , Li Junfeng , Wang Zhaoyang , Liu Weiwei , Song Dongbao , Chun Zhao , Deng XiaoYa
Published: October 2019

The particle electrode was prepared by using industrial waste slag as raw material, and the surface morphology of the particle electrode was characterized by scanning electron microscopy. The comparison experiments showed that under the same experimental conditions, the efficiency of
removing the methyl blue from the three-dimensional electrode of the steel slag particles was 23.48% higher than that of the two-dimensional electrode, and the energy consumption was reduced by 36.2%. The results showed that the primary and secondary factors affecting the methyl blue wastewater
of steel slag particles are electrolyte concentration, voltage, initial waste concentration and particle volume. Under the optimal combination of pH 3, voltage 12 V, initial methyl blue concentration of 15 mg/L and electrolyte concentration of 0.3 mol/L, the removal rate of methyl blue reached
91.41%.
Temperature-Dependent Charge Transport of Large-Area Molecular Junctions with PEDOT:PSS Electrodes
Authors: Lim Jungmoon , Ahn Gahyun , Jeong Inho , Song Hyunwook
Published: October 2019

We report on the temperature-dependent transport behaviors of large-area molecular junctions fabricated with poly-(3,4-ethylene-dioxythiophene) stabilized with polystyrene sulphonic acid (PEDOT:PSS) interlayer electrodes and the archetypal benzenethiol molecules. In this study, we investigated
two different benzenethiol molecules: 4-methylbenzenethiol (MBT) and 1,4-benzenedithiol (BDT), which have the identical backbone structure but different top end-groups. The charge transport through the molecular junctions was dominated by distinct interfacial contact properties between the
PEDOT:PSS electrodes and the component molecules. We also observed that the electrical characteristics of the MBT junctions are influenced by the PEDOT grain size, particularly depending on the annealing temperature.
The Fabrication of a Cylindrical Nano Mold Based on UV Photolithography
Authors: Kim Pan Kyeom , Chung Sung-Il , Ha Tae-Gyu , Jeong Myung Yung
Published: October 2019

The field of nanotechnology is predicted to lead to breakthroughs in many industrial fields. However, inadequate capability for mass production is a large hurdle in the advancement of this industry. To overcome the shortfall in production of nanotechnological devices, we designed a
cylindrical nano mold used in the roll-to-roll process with a large surface area to improve production efficiency. The nano structure was fabricated using the UV-based phase shift edge lithography process and duplicated onto a metal plate. The nano patterned metal plate was rolled onto a cylindrical
core to complete the cylindrical nano mold. We confirmed the processing ability of the mold by experimentally conducting the nano imprinting process and analyzing the results.
Cloud-to-Ground Lightning Flash Density and Thunderstorm Day Distributions over the Contiguous United States Derived from NLDN Measurements: 1993–2018
Authors: Koehler Thomas L.
Published: October 2019

This study employs cloud-to-ground (CG) lightning flash data from the U.S. National Lightning Detection Network (NLDN) to examine temporal and spatial distributions of lightning flash and thunderstorm day (TD) occurrences over the contiguous United States from 1993 to 2018. TD distributions are estimated from NLDN CG flashes using 4 thunder audibility approximations: 5 and 10 nautical mile (n mi; 1 n mi = 1.852 km) audibility ranges, and minima of 1 and 2 flashes within the audibility range. The 26-yr period examined is longer than previous studies using NLDN data, and the TD results can be compared directly to climatologies derived from surface weather observations dating back to the late 1890s. Results based on the abundant NLDN data avoid limitations introduced by the coarse horizontal resolution of surface observations inherent in pre-NLDN TD climatologies. Annual mean flash density and annual and monthly mean TD distributions are derived from almost 568 million NLDN CG flashes. A mean annual maximum of more than 16 flashes km−2 is found near Tampa, Florida. The mean annual TD maximum of 113 days (from at least 2 flashes within 10 n mi) occurs in southern Florida. Regions exceeding 70 TDs are found from eastern Texas eastward into Florida, and over the southern Rocky Mountains. Large positive deviations from the mean number of TDs extend from Texas northwestward into Colorado during 2003–07, followed by large negative deviations over the same region during 2008–12. Both deviation patterns are similar to expected summertime precipitation anomaly patterns over the United States during El Niño and La Niña years, respectively.
An analysis of the design factors of work procedures: implications for local government administration in South Africa
Authors: Nzewi Ogochukwu Iruoma , Yan Bingwen , Olutuase Sam
Published: October 2019

Work design and, in particular, work procedures have been a focus of much research in organisational development studies. However, their relevance and practice are rarely researched in public administration. This article presents an analysis of important design factors to be considered in the development of work procedures. The relevance of this study in the context of a developmental local government in South Africa is critical at a time when many municipalities are grappling with institutionalising service delivery administrative processes for the effective delivery of basic services. A quantitative research approach using a cross-sectional survey design involved 250 employees from three municipalities in South Africa. Structural equation modelling was used to determine the impact of critical factors on the design of work procedures for local municipalities. The study finds that out of the eight critical factors tested, the participation of local government employees in the development of work procedures and an effective municipal communication apparatus are significantly associated with the design of work procedures. We conclude that the design of work procedures should entail employee participation engendered through communication that freely and openly allows all stakeholders to share a common vision for service delivery. The findings further provide a theoretically underpinned framework as regards setting policy for achieving effective work procedures in similar local government contexts across the developing world.

Points for practitioners

While leadership and accountability, continuous improvement, shared vision, effective communication, and organisational policy are important factors to consider, employee participation is the most critical factor that affects the design and utilisation of work procedures in local municipalities. Policymakers/practitioners must seek empirical evidence as a basis for determining design considerations for effective work procedure design and redesign. This article provides a theoretically underpinned framework as regards setting policy for achieving effective work procedures in local municipalities.
The Poverty of Data in Africa: Why the Continent Needs More Bacon
Authors: Kinyondo Abel , Pelizzo Riccardo , Bekenova Kristina
Published: October 2019

Even if data analysis in Africa has allegedly allowed analysts to expand the boundaries of inquiry, social science research in the continent has been hindered by several problems. Some of these problems could be viewed as subcategories of the idols that Francis Bacon had identified. We show in the present article that bad data lead to bad analyses, which in turn lead to misleading interpretations and misleading interpretations lead to a type of knowledge that is distinctively different from real and objective knowledge. We conclude by recommending that to avoid most, if not all, of the research problems in Africa, social science researchers should realize that social phenomena are embedded in an infinite web of relations from which only true meaning can emerge. It follows that, to gain a proper appreciation of such network of relations, social phenomena must be approached at various levels from different perspective.
Exchange Rate Volatility and Tourism Demand in India: Unraveling the Asymmetric Relationship
Authors: Sharma Chandan , Pal Debdatta
Published: October 2019

This study explores the asymmetric effect of exchange rate volatility on tourism demand in India from January 2006 to April 2018. Tourism demand is captured from a twin perspective—quantity and value. While quantity is represented by foreign tourist arrival in India, earnings from foreign tourists are used to represent value. The study is unique from a methodological point of view as it makes the first ever application of the nonlinear autoregressive distributed lag model of Shin, Yu, and Greenwood-Nimmo (2014), in the tourism demand literature to capture nonlinearity simultaneously in the short- as well as long-run. Results of our analysis show that tourism demand in India responds asymmetrically to both nominal and real exchange rate volatility. Also, the long-run effects of exchange rate uncertainty are shown to be more damaging than the short-run effects. Our findings are fairly robust to alternative specifications.
Tour Leading in South America: Job Inputs and Outcomes
Authors: Carrillo Brendali , Barbieri Carla , Knollenberg Whitney , Edwards Michael B.
Published: October 2019

Tour Leader’s (TLs) performance is a key determinant of tourists’ satisfaction. Yet, research on the set of rewards and stressors (job inputs) that TLs experience and how these affect their quality of life and job satisfaction (job outcomes) is scant. This study, framed within the facet analysis model, fills this knowledge gap using data collected from 82 TLs operating in South America. Respondents were satisfied with nonfinancial rewards and perceived low stress levels resulting from their jobs. Although most reported positive psychological outcomes, they also acknowledged a decrease in their quality of convivial life. Analysis indicated that job inputs significantly affected TLs’ psychological and convivial well-being and job satisfaction. Study results expand the scholarship of the inputs and outcomes of tour leading and provides managerial and policy insights to increase TLs’ quality of life and job satisfaction, which is critical to enhance job performance.
Precollege and New-Onset College Interpersonal Trauma as Predictors of Baseline and Changes in Alcohol Use Disorder Symptoms During College
Authors: Bountress Kaitlin E. , Bustamante Daniel , Sheerin Christina , Dick Danielle M. ,   Spit for Science Working Group, Amstadter Ananda B.
Published: October 2019

College is a high-risk time for interpersonal trauma (IPT) exposure (e.g., physical or sexual abuse/assault), a potent form of trauma exposure. College is also a high-risk time for alcohol misuse, as use begins and increases in adolescence and peaks in the early/mid-20s. In addition, although IPT is associated with alcohol misuse, less clear is whether distal (prior to college) or proximal (during college) IPT impacts alcohol use disorder (AUD) symptoms at the beginning of college and/or changes in symptoms during college. Data were collected from a large, longitudinal study of college students, attending a large public university in the southeast, who had reported lifetime IPT as well as lifetime alcohol use. Participants in the current study were 18.5 years old ( SD = 0.46), primarily female (67.2%), and of diverse racial backgrounds (e.g., 53.4% White, 18.5% Black, 12.7% Asian, 15.4% Other). Latent change score analyses were employed to test the impact of IPT prior to college and IPT during college on initial levels of, and changes in, AUD symptoms during college. Those who experienced an IPT prior to college reported more AUD symptoms at the beginning of college and less changes in AUD symptoms during the first year of college. Those who experienced an IPT in the first 2 and last 2 years of college reported greater increases in symptoms in the first 2 and last 2 years of college, respectively. Findings suggest that prevention and intervention efforts for those who experience an IPT prior to or during college may be useful in reducing AUD symptoms during that time period.
Methods for predicting the ambient vibration and noise resulting from rail transit
Authors: Lei Xiaoyan
Published: October 2019

With the rapid development of rail transit and the increase of the train speed, problem of vibration and noise induced by trains has been increasingly standing out and becoming one of the focusing environmental issues by the public. A large number of systematic studies, including theoretical approaches, numerical models, field tests, and control measures, have been carried out by scholars around the world. A series of research findings have been obtained, and many effective vibration and noise reduction technologies and products have been developed. In this paper, a survey of the studies conducted on the methods for predicting the ambient vibration and noise resulting from rail transit is presented, with particular emphasis on the following four kinds of prediction methods, i.e. the wave-number frequency domain method, the combined method based on field tests, the numerical method, and the statistical energy method. Finally, some problems that need further studies are pointed out. It is expected that studies on ambient vibration and noise resulting from rail transit will be ongoing in the days to come, due to the construction boom of rail transit all over the world.
Evaluation of the influential parameters contributing to the reconstruction of railway wheel defect signals
Authors: Alemi Alireza , Corman Francesco , Pang Yusong , Lodewijks Gabriel
Published: October 2019

A wheel impact load detector is used to assess the condition of a railway wheel by measuring the dynamic forces generated by defects. This system normally measures the impact force at multiple points by exploiting multiple sensors to collect samples from different portions of the wheel circumference. The outputs of the sensors are used to estimate the dynamic force as the main indicator for detecting the presence of the defect. This method fails to identify the defect type and its severity. Recently, a data fusion method has been developed to reconstruct the wheel defect signal from the wheel–rail contact signals measured by multiple wayside sensors. The reconstructed defect signal can be influenced by different parameters such as train velocity, axle load, number of sensors, and wheel diameter. This paper aims to carry out a parametric study to investigate the influence of these parameters. For this purpose, VI-Rail is used to simulate the wheel–rail interaction and provide the required data. Then, the developed fusion method is exploited to reconstruct the defect signal from the simulated data. This study provides a detailed insight into the effects of the influential parameters by investigating the variation of the reconstructed defect signals.
Purdah or Ghunghat, a Powerful Means to Control Women: A Study of Rural Muslim and Non-Muslim Women in Western Uttar Pradesh, India
Authors: Devi Lakshmi , Kaur Manvinder
Published: October 2019

In selected villages in Saharanpur district of Uttar Pradesh, purdah or ghunghat (veiling) observed by all married women of both the Muslim and non-Muslim communities plays a significant role in restraining and prohibiting their participation in social and economic roles. The tradition is perceived to enhance the status of the women as well as of the family among both communities. While women within the home could be relaxed, they had to observe strict veiling when outdoors. Muslim women wear burqa (usually it is black in colour used to cover from head to toe), while non-Muslim women wear dupatta (usually a 2.5 m long cloth) or end of the sari (usually a 6 m long cloth) to cover the face properly while going outside the home.
Mini-midline in difficult intravenous access patients in emergency department: A prospective analysis
Authors: Gilardi Emanuele , Giannuzzi Rosangela , WoldeSellasie Kidane , Piano Alfonso , Pittiruti Mauro , Scoppettuolo Giancarlo
Published: October 2019

Background:

“Difficult intravenous access” patients represent a challenge within an emergency department as they often require many attempts to insert a peripheral short cannula in the emergency room or during the whole hospitalization. This can lead to many problems in terms of patient discomfort, increase of cost, and prolonged treatment time.

Objectives:

This study aimed to reduce the number of attempts needed for a short-cannula insertion or preventing insertion of a central vascular access by placing an ultrasound-guided long cannula during the emergency department visit.

Material and methods:

The insertion of mini-midline was monitored within an emergency room in 50 patients considered difficult intravenous access patients, who failed two attempts at peripheral venous access insertion and/or required the use of an alternative vascular device.

Results:

A total of 46 patients out of 50 were monitored. In 38 (82%) patients, the device was removed due to the end of the indication, and in six of them, it was replaced by a central venous catheter. Two devices were left inside even after discharge and were then removed at the end of indication. In eight (17%) patients, the device was removed due to accidental removal (4) and malfunction (4). In all the cases, the average duration of the insertion procedure was 10 min. The mean dwell time accounted to 7 and 9 days.

Conclusion:

The insertion of a mini-midline as part of the first emergency room visit in selected patients is a rapid, safe, and cost-effective procedure, which can provide the patient with stable venous access during the all hospitalization time.
Closed testing of each group versus the others combined in a multiple group analysis
Authors: Lachin John M , Bebu Ionut
Published: October 2019

Background:

Many studies, such as a study of comparative effectiveness, entail a comparison of the beneficial and adverse effects of multiple K[Formula: see text] 2 competing therapies. Often, the analysis consists of a comparison of the K groups using an omnibus ( T2-like) test for any difference among the groups followed by pairwise comparisons with adjustments for multiple tests.

Methods:

We evaluate the properties of an analysis strategy in which each group is compared to the average of the others in hopes of establishing the overall superiority (or harm) of at least one of the therapies. Testing of one-versus-others can be accomplished for virtually any model using simple tests, and the type I error probability [Formula: see text] can be controlled by conducting such tests under the closed testing principle. Testing using linear models, the family of generalized linear models, and Cox proportional hazards models is described with examples.

Results:

Since each tested hypothesis compares one treatment to the average of the others, the K-level null hypothesis in the tree of closed testing is equivalent to any of the ( K−1)-level tests, thus reducing the number of tests required. This applies to linear, generalized linear, and Cox proportional hazards models. While the Bonferroni, Holm, and Hommel procedures preserve the desired level [Formula: see text], all are conservative relative to closed one-versus-others testing and closed testing in general provides greater power.

Conclusion:

Testing each of the multiple treatments versus the average of the others is readily and efficiently conducted under the closed testing principle and may be especially useful in the assessment of studies of comparative effectiveness.
The Implicit Association Test: A Method in Search of a Construct
Authors: Schimmack Ulrich
Published: October 2019

In 1998, Greenwald, McGhee, and Schwartz proposed that the Implicit Association Test (IAT) measures individual differences in implicit social cognition. This claim requires evidence of construct validity. I review the evidence and show that there is insufficient evidence for this claim. Most important, I show that few studies were able to test discriminant validity of the IAT as a measure of implicit constructs. I examine discriminant validity in several multimethod studies and find little or no evidence of discriminant validity. I also show that validity of the IAT as a measure of attitudes varies across constructs. Validity of the self-esteem IAT is low, but estimates vary across studies. About 20% of the variance in the race IAT reflects racial preferences. The highest validity is obtained for measuring political orientation with the IAT (64%). Most of this valid variance stems from a distinction between individuals with opposing attitudes, whereas reaction times contribute less than 10% of variance in the prediction of explicit attitude measures. In all domains, explicit measures are more valid than the IAT, but the IAT can be used as a measure of sensitive attitudes to reduce measurement error by using a multimethod measurement model.
The Wiring of Intelligence
Authors: Savi Alexander O. , Marsman Maarten , van der Maas Han L. J. , Maris Gunter K. J.
Published: October 2019

The positive manifold of intelligence has fascinated generations of scholars in human ability. In the past century, various formal explanations have been proposed, including the dominant g factor, the revived sampling theory, and the recent multiplier effect model and mutualism model. In this article, we propose a novel idiographic explanation. We formally conceptualize intelligence as evolving networks in which new facts and procedures are wired together during development. The static model, an extension of the Fortuin–Kasteleyn model, provides a parsimonious explanation of the positive manifold and intelligence’s hierarchical factor structure. We show how it can explain the Matthew effect across developmental stages. Finally, we introduce a method for studying growth dynamics. Our truly idiographic approach offers a new view on a century-old construct and ultimately allows the fields of human ability and human learning to coalesce.
Towards conservatism? Party politics in Slovakia at the end of the 2010s
Authors: Sekerák Marián
Published: October 2019

The Slovak political system has changed rapidly since the Republic’s formation in 1993. Today the number of ideologically conservative political parties is rapidly rising. This article clarifies some aspects of recent party-political developments in Slovakia. To provide an overview, only the most important social milestones have been taken into account. Specifically, the 2015 referendum on the protection of the ‘traditional family’, the mass civic protests that erupted in 2012 and 2018, and the business–mafia–political connections that have been exposed will be discussed.
Peer Mentoring in the Do-it-Yourself Artificial Pancreas System Community
Authors: Crocket Hamish
Published: October 2019

Background:

The do-it-yourself (DIY) artificial pancreas system (APS) community is led by people with diabetes (PWD) and their families. In contrast to standard models of care, in which health care professionals are responsible for the education and training of PWD and their families, within the DIY APS, community users are reliant on their peers for education and training. The provision of this support has not previously been studied. This article focuses on the role of mentors within the DIY APS community.

Method:

Semistructured interviews were conducted with mentors ( n = 9) who were identified with assistance from the DIY APS community. Thematic analysis was undertaken. Results were presented to select participants who endorsed the results as an accurate description of mentoring in the DIY APS community.

Results:

Mentors’ primary motivation was altruism. An empathetic, process-focused approach was modeled by prominent mentors. The use of online forums as the primary source of user support was perceived to be an effective method for sharing the workload. Key challenges for mentors included the frequency with which users asked questions that were answered in the existing documentation, dealing with conflict and managing workload. Most participants did not perceive mentoring to be risky, but did take steps to ensure that users were taking responsibility for their own systems.

Conclusion:

This study is the first to examine the role of mentors within the DIY APS community and also within the broader diabetes online community. Future research might seek to quantify the empathetic, process-focused approach to mentoring.
Parental Acceptance–Rejection and Adult Separation Anxiety: The Mediation of Adult Attachment Insecurity
Authors: Deveci Şirin Hatice
Published: October 2019

Adult separation anxiety disorder (ASAD) is classified under anxiety disorders in Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (5th ed.; DSM- 5). However, the reasons for ASAD are uncertain. The relationship between ASAD and childhood experiences is one of the frequently debated issues. The purpose of this study was to develop a model that would examine the mediating roles of insecure attachment dimensions—avoidance and anxiety—in the relationship between adults’ retrospective perceptions of parental acceptance–rejection in childhood and separation anxiety. A total of 1,534 participants completed Parental Acceptance–Rejection Questionnaire, Experiences in Close Relationships–Revised, Adult Separation Anxiety Questionnaire, and personal information form. The results of the structural equation model indicated that insecure attachment dimensions—avoidance and anxiety variables—fully mediated the relationship between perceived parental acceptance–rejection and separation anxiety. These findings shed new light on the relationship between adults’ retrospective perceptions of childhood experiences and adult separation anxiety.
Contribution of Organized Sport Participation to Health-Related Fitness in Adolescents
Authors: Carlisle Carolina C. , Weaver R. Glenn , Stodden David F. , Cattuzzo Maria Teresa
Published: October 2019

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between organized sport (OS) participation and health-related fitness (HRF) in adolescents. A total of 320 adolescents (176 boys) aged between 10 and 16 years reported their engagement in OS and were assessed on 5 components of HRF (cardiovascular endurance, push-ups, curl-ups, flexibility, and body mass index). Data on OS participation frequency and duration were collected through a self-reported questionnaire. Adolescents were stratified by OS participation (engaged, n = 113; nonengaged, n = 220; 55% boys). Nonparametric quantile regression models were used to estimate the differences in HRF by participation group. Less than 30% of the participants reported they were regularly engaged in OS. Frequency of participation ranged from 2 to 5 days per week (median = 2; SD = 3), and duration of participation ranged from 45 to 180 minutes per week (median = 81.7; SD = 32.4). Adolescents who participated in OS displayed better cardiovascular endurance (+4.1 laps completed), with no statistically significant difference detected on any other HRF component. Our results highlight engagement in OS as a promising strategy for achieving cardiovascular endurance. Engagement in OS alone does not seem to be sufficient to enhance fitness components other than cardiovascular endurance.
Assessing an ASCO Decision Aid for Improving the Accuracy and Attribution of Serious Adverse Event Reporting From Investigators to Sponsors
Authors: Mileham Kathryn F. , Schenkel Caroline , Chuk Meredith K. , Buchmeier Andrea , Perez Raymond P. , Hurley Patricia , Levit Laura A. , Garrett-Mayer Elizabeth , Davis Courtney , Bruinooge Suanna S. , Vose Julie
Published: October 2019

PURPOSE:

Investigators often send reports to sponsors that incorrectly categorize adverse event (AE)s as serious or attribute AEs to investigational drugs. Such errors can contribute to high volumes of uninformative investigational new drug safety reports that sponsors submit to the US Food and Drug Administration and participating investigators, which strain resources and impede the detection of valid safety signals. To improve the quality of serious AE (SAE) reporting by physician-investigators and research staff, ASCO developed and tested a Decision Aid.

METHODS:

A preliminary study with crossover design was conducted in a convenience sample. Physician-investigators and research staff were randomly assigned to receive case studies. Case studies were assessed for seriousness and attribution, first unassisted and then with the Decision Aid. Participants completed a feedback survey about the Decision Aid. Effectiveness of reporting and attribution are reported as odds ratios (ORs) with 95% CI. Power to detect associations was limited because of a small sample size.

RESULTS:

The Decision Aid did not significantly affect accuracy of determining seriousness (OR, 0.87; 95% CI, 0.31 to 2.46), but it did significantly increase accuracy of attributing an SAE to a drug (OR, 3.60; 95% CI, 1.15 to 11.4). Most of the 29 participants reported that the Decision Aid was helpful (93%) and improved decision-making time (69%) and confidence in reporting (83%), and that they would use the Decision Aid in practice (83%).

CONCLUSION:

The Decision Aid shows promise as a method to improve the quality of SAE attribution, which may improve the detection of valid safety signals and reduce the administrative burden of uninformative investigational new drug safety reports. Study of the Decision Aid in a larger sample with analysis stratified by participant role and SAE reporting experience would further assess the tool’s impact.
Knowledge-Guided Statistical Learning Methods for Analysis of High-Dimensional -Omics Data in Precision Oncology
Authors: Zhao Yize , Chang Changgee , Long Qi
Published: October 2019

High-dimensional -omics data such as genomic, transcriptomic, and metabolomic data offer great promise in advancing precision medicine. In particular, such data have enabled the investigation of complex diseases such as cancer at an unprecedented scale and in multiple dimensions. However, a number of analytical challenges complicate analysis of high-dimensional -omics data. One is the growing recognition that complex diseases such as cancer are multifactorial and may be attributed to harmful changes on multiple -omics levels and on the pathway level. When individual genes in an important pathway have relatively weak signals, it can be challenging to detect them on their own, but the aggregated signal in the pathway can be considerably stronger and hence easier to detect with the same sample size. To address these challenges, there is a growing body of literature on knowledge-guided statistical learning methods for analysis of high-dimensional -omics data that can incorporate biological knowledge such as functional genomics and functional proteomics. These methods have been shown to improve predication and classification accuracy and yield biologically more interpretable results compared with statistical learning methods that do not use biological knowledge. In this review, we survey current knowledge-guided statistical learning methods, including both supervised learning and unsupervised learning, and their applications to precision oncology, and we discuss future research directions.
Immune response of hibernating European bats to a fungal challenge
Authors: Fritze Marcus , Costantini David , Fickel Jörns , Wehner Dana , Czirják Gábor Á. , Voigt Christian C.
Published: October 2019

Immunological responses of hibernating mammals are suppressed at low body temperatures, a possible explanation for the devastating effect of the white-nose syndrome on hibernating North American bats. However, European bats seem to cope well with the fungal causative agent of the disease. To better understand the immune response of hibernating bats, especially against fungal pathogens, we challenged European greater mouse-eared bats (Myotis myotis) by inoculating the fungal antigen zymosan. We monitored torpor patterns, immune gene expressions, different aspects of the acute phase response, and plasma oxidative status markers and compared them with sham-injected control animals at 30 min, 48 h and 96 h after inoculation. Torpor patterns, body temperatures, body masses, white blood cell counts, expression of immune genes, reactive oxygen metabolites, and non-enzymatic antioxidant capacity did not differ between groups during the experiment. However, zymosan injected bats had significantly higher levels of haptoglobin than the control animals. Our results indicate that hibernating greater mouse-eared bats mount an inflammatory response to a fungal challenge, with only mild to negligible consequences for the energy budget of hibernation. Our study gives a first hint that hibernating European bats may have evolved a hibernation-adjusted immune response in order to balance the trade-off between competent pathogen elimination and a prudent energy-saving regime.