bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A preliminary revision of Chusquea sect. Swallenochloa (Bambuseae, Bambusoideae, Poaceae) in Peru including the description of two new species and the resurrection of two other species

Authors: FADRIQUE BELÉN , PIANISSOLA EVANDRO MACHADO , FEELEY KENNETH J. , CLARK LYNN G.
Published: September 2019

Bamboos of the Neotropical Chusquea subg. Swallenochloa are characteristic of high elevation grasslands from Mexico to Argentina and in Brazil, with a few species occurring in montane or other forests. The central Andean diversity of subg. Swallenochloa remains poorly studied, but recent field work revealed the existence of additional species diversity within sect. Swallenochloa of subg. Swallenochloa in Peru. We here present a preliminary revision of the eight named species of sect. Swallenochloa for Peru, including the description of two new endemic species, C. gamarrae and C. intipaqariy, and the resurrection of two other endemic species, C. simplicissima and C. weberbaueri, which were previously treated as synonyms of C. spicata, apparently another Peruvian endemic. This revision includes detailed descriptions (or re-descriptions) of the eight species of sect. Swallenochloa confirmed for Peru, morphological keys for their identification (vegetative vs. reproductive and vegetative), photographic images showing diagnostic features for all eight species, comparative tables and a distribution map. Previous identifications of some specimens are also discussed and, in some cases, modified, and a list of Incertae Sedis specimens from Peru with comments is included. A second-step lectotypification of the name C. weberbaueri is also proposed. The second collection of C. simplicissima, made 111 years after the type collection, is newly documented in this study. Two other species, C. smithii and C. weberbaueri, remain known only from their type collections, and the two newly described species are known from only a single population each, highlighting the need for additional field work and herbarium study of this ecologically important group.
Notes on taxonomy and distribution of some liverworts of tropical Asia

Authors: BI XING-FENG , XIANG YOU-LIANG , RIUPASSA PIETER AGUSTHINUS , PENTURY KRESYAN , MOHAMED HAJI , A MUSTAPENG ANDI MARYANI , SULEIMAN MONICA , SHU LEI , ANG LEE PING , PROMMA CHATCHABA , CHENG XIA-FANG , ZHU RUI-LIANG
Published: September 2019

Eleven noteworthy liverworts are reported from Brunei, Indonesia (Seram), and Malaysia (Sabah). Cololejeunea koponenii and Allorgella zantenii previously endemic to New Guinea are newly reported for Indonesia. The poorly known monospecific genus (Cephalolejeunea) is new to Brunei. Cololejeunea streimannii previously known only from Papua New Guinea is newly found in Borneo. Cheilolejeunea obcordata is discovered for the first time except for the type locality. Porella geheebii is new to Seram. Oil bodies of Cephalolejeunea parvilobula, Cheilolejeunea obcordata, Cololejeunea koponenii, C. streimannii, Leptolejeunea spinistipula, and Pictolejeunea mizutanii are reported for the first time. The photographs of Allorgella zantenii, Cephalolejeunea parvilobula, Cheilolejeunea obcordata, Cololejeunea koponenii, Drepanolejeunea blumei., and Porella geheebii are provided.
Using a Gaussian Function to Describe the Seasonal Courses of Monthly Precipitation and Potential Evapotranspiration across the Yellow River Basin, China
Authors: Wang Yaqin , Luo Yi , Shafeeque Muhammad
Published: September 2019

Seasonal variations in precipitation (P) and potential evapotranspiration (ET0) are critical for regional hydrometeorological studies and water resource management. The sinusoidal function is widely used to describe the seasonal pattern of P and ET0. However, high errors occur either in the arid places or in places with hyperseasonal precipitation. These limitations are intrinsic properties of the sinusoidal climate descriptor and remain a barrier to provide insight into regional water–energy partitions and hydrologic similarity and predictability. In this study, we used a Gaussian framework as an alternative to describe seasonal variations in P and ET0 regimes in the Yellow River basin (YRB). The results show that the Gaussian framework provides a good approximation to the seasonal pattern of P and has a strong regional applicability for reproducing the monthly P and ET0. This allows us to assess the climate seasonality characterizing the regional balance between water supply and energy availability using δP, δET0, and aridity index. The climate seasonality indicates that the balance between water supply and energy availability has a switch in about 32% of the grid cells during the seasonal cycle from 1982 to 2015. These grid cells are mostly located in regions with average annual precipitation above 550 mm. In the northwest region of the YRB, which has a dry climate, the amount of potential evapotranspiration always exceeds the precipitation. We argue that the Gaussian function provides a quantitative conceptual framework for accurate assessment of regional water supply and energy availability and offers a penetrating insight into hydrometeorology.
Appearance Comparison, Appearance Self-Schema, Perfectionism, and Body Esteem Among Korean College Students
Authors: Ko Stacy Y. , Wei Meifen , Park Hyun-joo , Wang Kenneth
Published: September 2019

In this study, we examined whether the constructs of appearance self-schema and perfectionistic self-presentation were significant mediators for the direct association between physical appearance comparison and body esteem. A total of 290 South Korean students from a university in South Korea participated in this study. Results from structural equation modeling supported that both appearance self-schema and perfectionistic self-presentation were significant mediators for the relationship between physical appearance comparison and body esteem. A bootstrap method was used to assess the magnitude of the indirect effect, with 33% of the variance in body esteem accounted for by physical appearance comparison, appearance self-schema, and perfectionistic self-presentation. A multiple-group analysis showed that the mediation model could be applied equally to both men and women students in South Korea. The current study demonstrates how body esteem issues may unfold in a Korean cultural context where appearance is highly salient to one’s identity.
Impact of admission grade point average on academic results of university students in electrical engineering
Authors: Rodríguez José-Víctor , Bueno-Delgado María-Victoria , Sánchez-Aarnoutse Juan-Carlos , Pastor-Franco Juan-Ángel , Juan-Llácer Leandro
Published: September 2019

This work analyzes the impact of admission grade point average (AGPA) on academic results of electrical engineering university students throughout their undergraduate studies. The analysis was carried out on two bachelor engineering degree programs offered at the School of Telecommunication Engineering at the Universidad Politécnica de Cartagena, Spain: Telecommunication Systems Engineering and Telematics Engineering. Data from seven consecutive academic years were used to compute three indicators regarding the same cohort of students: exam attendance rate, success rate, and performance rate. The results show that although there exists a significant correlation between AGPA and student performance, it is truly relevant only in the first two academic courses (in this work, a course is assumed to be the compilation of all subjects in a year). In view of the results, a set of guidelines is proposed in order to soften the impact of AGPA on the progress of university students.
Unpacking the Local Resource Curse: How Externalities and Governance Shape Social Conflict
Authors: Sexton Renard
Published: September 2019

Natural resource extraction is economically important in many developing countries, but social conflict can threaten the viability of the sector. This article examines why polluting extractive industries sometimes generate social mobilization but often do not. First, I distinguish acute, highly visible environmental externalities from chronic, less observable pollution, showing that only the former generate social mobilization. Second, I explore how high-quality local governance can mitigate the local resource curse dynamic by both reducing pollution and improving compensation in mining-intensive areas. The analysis uses microlevel data on extractive commodities, water pollution, children’s and livestock health, local government quality, and mining-related social conflict in Peru to demonstrate the full causal pathway of the local resource curse.
Conceptualising ‘generative power’: Evidence from the city-regions of England
Authors: Sandford Mark
Published: September 2019

Literature on sub-national governance and leadership has frequently suggested that elected leaders can use influence and facilitation skills alongside coercive power, legal responsibilities and resources to achieve policy outcomes. This article investigates the degree to which influence, networking and leadership – or ‘generative power’ – can themselves extend a sub-national body’s ‘capacity to govern’. It uses empirical data from the activities of the six ‘metro-mayors’ elected in England in 2017 to explore whether new institutions, faced with tight limits on policy divergence and institutional and financial resources, seek to transcend these via generative power, and whether the types of generative power used are in line with the previous literature. Findings indicate that many of the previous patterns of generative power are followed in the English case, but also that generative power has not dominated the metro-mayors’ early priorities. Their focus on the distribution of funds suggests that they may develop into ‘grant coalitions’, maximising funds from central government in place of developing a distinct local strategy. The article contributes to the literatures on urban leadership and sub-national governance, and also has implications for jurisdictional design.
Evaluation of Blood Transfusion Services in Public and Private Blood Bank Centers, Sana’a Capital, Yemen
Authors: Ghaleb Yasser Ahmed , Al- Somainy Ali Abdullah , Alamad Mohammed Abdullah , Al Serouri Abdulwahed Abduljabbar , Khader Yousef S.
Published: September 2019

The aim of this study was to evaluate blood transfusion services (BTS) at the main blood banks (BBs) of the Sana’a Capital. The 4 main BBs at Sana’a Capital were evaluated according to the safe World Health Organization BTS standards. Qualitative and quantitative data were collected using semi-structured questionnaires covering 6 components: activities, quality assurance system (QAS) and training, donation, grouping and compatibility testing, components, and screening for transfusion-transmitted infections (TTIs). An overall mean percent score for BTS was calculated where <60% is considered unsatisfactory, 60% to 79.9% satisfactory, and ≥80% highly satisfactory. The 4 BBs screen for HIV, hepatitis B, and hepatitis C and perform all functions except therapeutic transfusion. While 75% of the staff in BBs had received training in biosafety and half of the staff had received training in Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), no QAS in place at any of the 4 BBs. The 4 BBs depended on 71% of their transfusions on family donors. Two BBs do not perform reverse grouping and do not keep patient/donor samples for the required minimum 5 days. Only one BB achieved an overall high satisfactory score and one achieved a satisfactory score. Findings highlight the increasing challenges facing BTS in Sana’a Capital especially the lack of therapeutic transfusion, poor QAS, and predominant dependence on the family donors. Therefore, there is a need to develop and train staff on QAS and to increase awareness among public on importance of voluntary donation. A wider scale evaluation of BTS in Sana’a is recommended.
Implementing a Careers and Professional Development Course for Sociology Students
Authors: Senter Mary Scheuer
Published: September 2019

Sociology students are interested in having meaningful careers that use their sociological knowledge and skills, and higher education institutions are under pressure to show that their graduates achieve career success. A one-credit-hour course focused on careers, professional development, and resources for sociology majors can increase students’ confidence that multiple options exist for them in their postbaccalaureate lives. Sociology faculty can design a course that increases students’ ability to locate and apply for relevant jobs and graduate programs and to practice skills that employers say that want to see in college graduates. Detailed examples of assignments, readings, and class activities are presented that can readily be tailored to the unique circumstances of different institutions and their students.
Active and Adequate Exposure of the Facial Nerve and Chorda Tympani Nerve to Improve the Safety of Cochlear Implantation
Authors: Lu Ling , Wang Maohua , Dong Jianfei , Lin Chuanyao , Yu Chenjie , Qian Xiaoyun , Gao Xia
Published: September 2019

Background:

The posterior tympanum approach of cochlear implantation is easy to damage the facial nerve and cord tympanic nerve. Therefore, we need to improve the safety of cochlear implantation.

Objectives:

To discuss the safety and feasibility of active and adequate transparent exposure of the facial nerve and chorda tympani nerve during the surgery.

Methods:

A retrospective analysis was performed on all 945 patients who underwent cochlear implantation from January 2011 to September 2017. All patients have been followed up for 14 months to 5 years postoperatively and postoperative complications have been observed.

Results:

All 945 patients received artificial cochlear implantation. The facial nerves of 76 cases were above the horizontal semicircular canal plane, while narrow facial recess was observed in 44 cases. Serious chorda tympani nerve variation was found in 1 case. No facial paralysis and facial nerve irritation and abnormal taste occurred after operation.

Conclusions:

Cochlear implantation with initiative and adequate exposure of facial nerve and the chorda tympani nerve can improve the safety of the cochlear implant surgery. Our study provide a safe and effective method for clinical cochlear implantation to reduce facial nerve and tympanic cord nerve injury.
A Longitudinal Field Investigation of Narcissism and Popularity Over Time: How Agentic and Antagonistic Aspects of Narcissism Shape the Development of Peer Relationships
Authors: Leckelt Marius , Geukes Katharina , Küfner Albrecht C. P. , Niemeyer Lisa M. , Hutteman Roos , Osterholz Sarah , Egloff Boris , Nestler Steffen , Back Mitja D.
Published: September 2019

Grandiose narcissism has been linked to initial popularity but to later unpopularity in peer groups and laboratory contexts. Do these effects on peer relationships also emerge in larger real-life contexts and what are the underlying behavioral processes (i.e., behavioral expressions, interpersonal perceptions)? Using data from the longitudinal CONNECT field study ( N = 126), we investigated effects of agentic and antagonistic aspects of grandiose narcissism on emerging popularity in a complete peer network. A cohort of psychology first-year students was assessed with a quasiexperimental, experience-sampling methodology involving online surveys, diaries, and behavioral observations. In contrast to previous laboratory research, narcissism was unrelated to popularity at the level of zero-order correlations. However, results indicated that (a) an agentic behavioral pathway fostered popularity across time, and an antagonistic behavioral pathway drove the long-term decline in popularity, and (b) the two pathways were differentially related to agentic (admiration) and antagonistic (rivalry) aspects of narcissism.
Olecranon metastases from primary lung cancer: case report and review of the literature
Authors: Cai Leyi , Dong Shuangxia , Chen Hua
Published: September 2019

Tumours in the olecranon are rare. A 62-year-old man presented with a 3-week history of pain in his right elbow that was relieved using routine painkillers. Persistent pain resulted in a reduction of the range of motion in the elbow and pain in the extensor and flexor groups of muscles of the forearm, which resulted in the patient seeking medical assistance. Radiography showed a round, radiolucent focus in the depth of the distal ulna. Computed tomography imaging of the thorax demonstrated one solid soft tissue mass. Histological investigation showed the cancer was a poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma. The patient received local radiotherapy and systemic chemotherapy, but he died of his primary disease 3 months later.
Navigating the fourth industrial revolution: Taxing automation for fiscal sustainability
Authors: McCredie Bronwyn , Sadiq Kerrie , Chapple Larelle
Published: September 2019

The fourth industrial revolution has arrived; however, this industrial revolution is unlike those witnessed in the past. Equal opportunity and growth have been replaced by the 21st century trend of rising inequality, in which advancement through digitisation and automation brings fortune to the few and hardship to the many, as income and property stratification grows. As a result, current tax systems are under pressure with displaced workers requiring support, and the fiscal purse, which has historically been funded by income taxes, being eroded due to a decreasing number of workers to tax. Conceivably, it is up to governments to address this ‘double negative effect’, but it is unclear how this could be achieved and what theoretical basis should be leveraged to do so. This article provides a discussion of three important normative philosophies of distributive justice, utilitarianism, libertarianism and John Rawls’ theory of justice, to determine a theoretical basis on which the redistribution of income via a tax on automation is justified. The pertinent theory is then operationalised with the proposal of three alternate models of taxation: a Pigouvian tax, a tax on economic rents and an appreciation tax. Each of these models is evaluated alongside a discussion on the shift in global tax policy from taxing income to taxing capital. This article argues that this shift is necessary to reduce income inequality and to ensure even the lowest common denominator is provided for, for we are the 99%.

JEL Classification: H23, H25, K34, O23
Work exclusion and disability types: The heterogeneity of disability as social exclusion in the 2011 Irish Census microdata
Authors: Sakakibara Kenjiro
Published: September 2019

Work exclusion is often associated with lacking or having certain body functions and structures, that is, disabilities. There are various types of disabilities, including visual, hearing, physical, and intellectual. The focus of this paper is to examine whether different disability types concur with different likelihoods of work exclusion; this approach differs from that of current disability statistics, which, in effect, treat people with disabilities as a homogeneous group. The 2011 Irish Census microdata from the Integrated Public Use Microdata Series (IPUMS) International database are used, since the data include information about disability types and have a sufficient sample size for the analysis of disabilities from type to type. Although all the included disability types significantly increase self-reported incapacity, logistic regression analysis of the data shows that the odds ratios with the adjustment of some sociodemographic variables widely differ from one another, which demonstrates the need for a type-sensitive approach to disability statistics.
A Trauma-Informed Approach to Sexual Violence Research Ethics and Open Science
Authors: Campbell Rebecca , Goodman-Williams Rachael , Javorka McKenzie
Published: September 2019

The practice of ethics in social science research is a reflexive process of self-review to define a profession’s collective responsibility in the face of changing norms and expectations. In recent years, we have seen transformative changes in how society thinks about supporting sexual assault survivors, and how the scientific community thinks about our obligations to society. Decades of research on trauma and its impact has raised awareness about the needs of victimized individuals, giving rise to the trauma-informed practice movement, which emphasizes that service providers must center survivors’ well-being in all interactions, decisions, and program practices. The field of sexual assault research helped give rise to this movement and provides empirical support for its guiding tenets, and in this article, we explore how to bring these ideas full circle to begin articulating trauma-informed principles for research. A trauma-informed perspective on research challenges scientists to go beyond the requirements of the Belmont Report (1979) and institutional review boards' (IRB) regulations to develop research procedures that fully support survivors’ choice, control, and empowerment. Such reflection on participants’ rights is particularly important given the open science movement sweeping academia, which calls on scientists to share their data publicly to promote transparency, replication, and new discoveries. Disseminating data could pose significant safety, privacy, and confidentiality risks for victims of sexual assault, so we need to evaluate what open science means within a trauma-informed framework. In this article, we examine three key stages of the research process—participant recruitment, data collection, and dissemination—and consider how trauma-informed principles could help, but also could complicate, research practices. We explore these tensions and offer potential solutions so that research on sexual trauma embodies trauma-informed practice.
Results of Practice-Based Professional Development for Supporting Special Educators in Learning How to Design Functional Assessment–Based Interventions
Authors: Hirsch Shanna E. , Randall Kristina N. , Common Eric Alan , Lane Kathleen Lynne
Published: September 2019

Content-focused practice-based professional development (PBPD) with active learning is one avenue to support teachers in learning new strategies, practices, and programs. This type of professional development moves away from traditional lectures. In this descriptive study, the authors used a pre–post group design to examine the extent to which a PBPD was effective in teaching participants how to design, implement, and evaluate functional assessment–based interventions. Results indicate participants increased perceived knowledge, confidence, and usefulness and made gains in actual knowledge. The authors conclude with implications, limitations, and suggestions for research and practice.
Health Literacy in Relation to Health Outcomes: A Concept Analysis
Authors: Sierra Melanie , Cianelli Rosina
Published: September 2019

Health literacy is a concept discussed in the literature of many disciplines, but the definitions used are varied. Using the Walker and Avant method of concept analysis, the authors explore health literacy in relation to health outcomes—the defining attributes, antecedents, consequences, and empirical referents. In addition, cases are provided that illustrate health literacy in relation to health outcomes. This concept analysis allows for colleagues in nursing to have a better understanding of this concept and facilitates further development of tools to assess and improve health literacy and ultimately improve health outcomes overall.
Positive Social Interaction by Spatial Design: A Systematic Review of Empirical Literature in Memory Care Facilities for People Experiencing Dementia
Authors: Ferdous Farhana
Published: September 2019

Objective: The objective of this review is to outline a comprehensive set of possible design interventions focusing on spatial and environmental design factors influencing positive social interaction, which is one of the key aspects of quality of life (QoL) in long-term care facilities (LTCFs). Methods: This systematic literature review synthesized research evidence from seven databases (after the year 2000) spanning medical and health literature, environmental psychology, architecture, interior design, and evidence-based design literature. Results: The key spatial design characteristics of the facilities shown to affect positive social interaction were as follows: (a) The Physical Environment and Setting; (b) Accessibility, Legibility, and Layout; (c) Social Environment and Network; and (d) Staff–Resident Ratio and Care Philosophy. Conclusion: Several critical spatial design features of the facilities were identified. Spatial design interventions could influence the design decisions for future care facilities and provide designers the guidelines that are generalizable regardless of geographic location of the LTCF.
Physicochemical properties of chitosan–hydroxyapatite matrix incorporated with Ginkgo biloba-loaded PLGA microspheres for tissue engineering applications
Authors: Marouf Nazanin , Nojehdehian Hanieh , Ghorbani Farnaz
Published: September 2019

To investigate the potential of biomaterials for bone repair, Ginkgo biloba (GB)-loaded polylactic- co-glycolic acid microspheres were synthesized via solvent evaporation technique, and scanning electron microscopic (SEM) micrographs indicated a spherical and smooth surface in which the particles were distributed in the range of 1–7 µm. Chitosan–hydroxyapatite (HA) matrixes incorporated with polymeric spheres were fabricated using the freeze-drying method. SEM micrographs demonstrated an interconnected porous structure in which porosity and pore size reduced as a function of HA and microsphere addition. Fourier transform infrared spectrum illustrated the ability of sodium tripolyphosphate in cross-linking of composite scaffolds. Swelling ratio presented that higher amount of microspheres and the addition of HA reduce the ability of interaction with water molecules. The GB release behavior of hybrid scaffolds confirmed that the addition of HA significantly reduces release ratio because of a slight reduction in pore size and PBS absorption capacity, but higher amount of microspheres resulted in an increase in release level. According to the results, the synthesized hybrid scaffolds have the initial physicochemical features for further studies in terms of in vitro and in vivo assays.
Missed Work Among Caregivers of Children With a High Body Mass Index: Child, Parent, and Household Characteristics
Authors: Lee Jiwoo , Kubik Martha Y. , Fulkerson Jayne A.
Published: September 2019

An underexamined consequence of childhood obesity is caregivers’ missed work attributed to child absence from school due to a health condition. This secondary analysis ( N = 123) reported the frequency of missed work among caregivers of children with a body mass index (BMI) at or above the 75th percentile and examined associations with select child, parent, and household characteristics. Caregivers missed work 1.3 ( SD = 1.2) times in the past year with 41% reporting 2 or more times. A child visiting a health-care provider 2 or more times in the past year and parent perception of their child’s health as good/fair/poor were significantly associated with caregivers’ missing work 2 or more times in a year ( OR = 5.8 and OR = 3.0, respectively). A significant association between children’s physical and psychosocial well-being and caregivers’ missed work emphasizes the school nurse role working with children with high BMI and families to address student absenteeism and caregivers’ missed work.
Linking Gender, Language, and Partisanship: Developing a Database of Masculine and Feminine Words
Authors: Roberts Damon C. , Utych Stephen M.
Published: September 2019

Seemingly, gender, language, and partisanship are intertwined concepts. We believe that the use of gendered language in political settings may be used strategically by political elites. The purpose of this paper is to craft a tool for scholars to test the interconnection between politics, gender, and language—what we refer to as being the gendered language and partisanship nexus. We test our prediction using original word rating data. From our test, we find significant variation across seven hundred words in ratings as masculine and feminine and discover that words rated as masculine are more likely to be rated as dominant and negatively valenced. We additionally find that Republican men are most likely to rate words as more masculine. Using this dictionary, we find that Republican presidents are more likely to use masculine language than Democratic presidents in their State of the Union addresses and that the Republican Party uses more masculine language than the Democratic Party in their official party platform.
The Matter We Teach With Matters: Teaching With Theory, Theorizing With (Textbook) Bodies
Authors: Kuby Candace R. , Christ Rebecca C.
Published: September 2019

We ponder a question inspired by this special issue: What might teaching/learning in the context of more-than-human become? We focus on three textbooks chosen for a qualitative inquiry course and what was produced. Textbooks (and other assigned readings) are bodies that instructors labor over/with in making decisions about what students will read. We consider their mutually constitutive nature—where not only does theory produce people (and bodies), but people (bodies) produce theories; we focus on the entanglement— textbooks in relation to/with humans. Humans do matter. Textbooks do matter. In short, it matters what matter makes pedagogy and what pedagogy makes matter.
Online Interpersonal Victimization as a Mechanism of Social Control of Women: An Empirical Examination
Authors: Hill Cassandra , Johnson Holly
Published: September 2019

Cyber space is an ever-expanding mode of perpetrating sexualized violence toward women. This article empirically examines the applicability of Susan Brownmiller’s adaptation of the theory of social control to online interpersonal victimization (OIV) against women. Multiple regression analysis identified predictors of behaviors indicative of social control among a Canadian sample. Findings suggest that the theory of social control, which has been applied to violence against women in physical space, is applicable to OIV. This study also provides insights into the separate and compound effects of physical space and cyber space victimizations on women and identifies implications for improving methods and building theories for addressing violence against women in cyber space.
A rare case of primary rectal choriocarcinoma and review of the literature
Authors: Telli Tugba A , Demircan Nazim C , Alan Ozkan , Tuylu Tugba B , Arikan Rukiye , Ercelep Ozlem , Atıcı Ali E , Ergelen Rabia , Seven Ipek E , Babacan Nalan A , Kaya Serap , Dane Faysal , Fulden Yumuk Perran
Published: September 2019

Introduction

Primary choriocarcinoma of the colon is an extremely rare neoplasm which has a poor prognosis. Only 18 cases have been previously reported in English medical literature. Here we present a case of primary rectal choriocarcinoma with a good response to chemotherapy and review the literature on this uncommon tumor.

Case report

A 36-year-old woman presented with abdominal pain and vaginal bleeding. Abdominal magnetic resonance imaging revealed 6.9 × 5.3 × 6.4 cm hypervascular mass posterior to uterus very close to rectum. Beta-human chorionic gonadotropin (β-hCG) level was markedly elevated. Low anterior resection of the rectum with lymph node dissection and total abdominal hysterectomy with bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy were performed. Pathologic diagnosis was reported as colonic choriocarcinoma with a focal component of adenocarcinoma. Post-operative magnetic resonance imaging detected multiple metastatic lesions throughout the liver. The patient was treated with systemic chemotherapy using bleomycin, etoposide and cisplatin (BEP protocol). After three cycles, β-hCG level decreased to normal and magnetic resonance imaging showed regression of liver metastasis. However, the patient died of respiratory failure due to bleomycin toxicity and pneumonia accompanied by rapid disease progression.

Discussion

This is an extremely rare case of primary rectal choriocarcinoma. Due to poor prognosis of the disease, it seems very important to start prompt treatment to improve patient’s survival.
Pazopanib-induced fatal heart failure in a patient with unresectable soft tissue sarcoma and review of literature
Authors: Karaağaç Mustafa , Eryılmaz Melek Karakurt
Published: September 2019

Introduction

Pazopanib, an oral multi-targeted tyrosine kinase inhibitor, is associated with improved outcomes in patients with unresectable or metastatic soft tissue sarcoma. Pazopanib may cause cardiotoxicity such as heart failure.

Case report

A 50-year-old female patient with no cardiovascular risk factors other than the previous treatment with adriamycin had a baseline left ventricular ejection fraction of 60%. She was receiving pazopanib 800 mg once daily for advanced leiomyosarcoma of the presacral area. On the 60th day of treatment, she presented with fatigue, palpitation, and exertional dyspnea for several days. Echocardiography was performed, and left ventricular ejection fraction was measured as 25%. Pazopanib-induced heart failure was considered and all other possible preliminary diagnoses were excluded.

Management and outcome

Pazopanib was stopped immediately. Bisoprolol fumarate 5 mg orally once daily, spironolactone 100 mg orally once daily, furosemide 40 mg orally once daily, and ramipril 2.5 mg orally once daily were started. The patient’s symptoms partially improved. Second echocardiography was performed after 15 days, and left ventricular ejection fraction was measured as 35%. But, despite pazopanib was not resumed and cardiac support treatment was administered, she died four weeks after discontinuation of pazopanib due to heart failure.

Discussion

Pazopanib-induced heart failure may be fatal. Physicians and patients should be aware of the cardiotoxicity risk when managing the use of pazopanib in soft tissue sarcoma.
Toward Sexual Health Equity for Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Youth: An Intergenerational, Collaborative, Multisector Partnerships Approach to Structural Change
Authors: Sirdenis Triana Kazaleh , Harper Gary W. , Carrillo Marcos D. , Jadwin-Cakmak Laura , Loveluck Jimena , Pingel Emily S. , Benton Akilah , Peterson Amy , Pollard Rama , Bauermeister José A.
Published: September 2019

Background. Gay, bisexual, and transgender youth (GBTY) experience sexual health inequities and contend with intersectional oppression. The Michigan Forward in Enhancing Research and Community Equity (MFierce) Coalition formed as an intergenerational, collaborative, multisector partnership with a focus on implementing community-identified policy, systems, and environmental (PSE) change strategies to address inequities and injustices. Aims. We describe MFierce coalition development and structural change activities organized within Collaborating for Equity and Justice (CEJ) principles and provide empirical data supporting the utility of such principles. Method. We prioritized leadership by GBTY and created personal and professional capacity-building activities to support GBTY in being change agents. Our work was grounded in community-engaged scholarship and used a shared-power community development process. Our PSE change intervention, the Health Access Initiative (HAI), was a structural change program for health facilities aimed at improving the quality of and access to sexual health care for GBTY. Results. We evaluated coalition functioning and activities through multimethod assessments and evaluated PSE changes through HAI participant surveys. Data demonstrated positive and steady coalition dynamics, multiple benefits of participation for GBTY, and strategies for collaborative multigenerational community work. HAI outcome data revealed significant increases in PSE changes. Discussion. Centering life experiences of GBTY in collaborative partnerships and building opportunities for professional and personal development can support sustainable community change. We offer recommendations for developing future intergenerational, collaborative, multisector partnerships that prioritize youth leadership. Conclusion. Collaborative methods and careful consideration of adult–youth dynamics can inform future transformative efforts focused on health equity and justice for GBTY.
Language, Culture, and Collectivism: Uniting Coalition Partners and Promoting Holistic Health in the Menominee Nation
Authors: Hilgendorf Amy , (Guy Reiter) Anahkwet , Gauthier Jennifer , Krueger Scott , Beaumier Kimberly , Corn Ron , Moore Travis R. , Roland Hugh , Wells Alexandra , Pollard Ethen , Ansell Sara , Oshkeshequoam James , Adams Alexandra , Christens Brian D.
Published: September 2019

Recent perspectives on Indigenous health have recognized language, culture, and values as central to well-being and recovery from historical trauma. Health coalitions, which identify community health concerns and mobilize members to implement strategies for change, have begun to shift their focus from programs to policy, systems, and environmental change but have been slower to recognize the possibilities of centering Indigenous ways of being in their work. This article details a case study of the Menominee Wellness Initiative, an Indigenous health coalition that has increasingly made language, culture, and collective values the focus of their health promotion work, and often due to the participation and influence of community organizers in the coalition. The study is presented as a collaborative writing effort between coalition members and academic partners. Qualitative data were gathered through observations of coalition meetings; in-depth, semistructured interviews with coalition members; and interactive data analysis discussions within the collaborative writing team. In the results, we describe how the shift in the coalition’s framework came to be and the influence this shift has had on the coalition, its activities, and its community impacts. These findings illustrate and extend understanding of several principles of Collaborating for Equity and Justice and supports literature and practice related to health promotion through the centering of Indigenous ways.
A Collaborative Approach to Assess Legacy Pollution in Communities Near a Lead–Acid Battery Smelter: The “Truth Fairy” Project
Authors: Johnston Jill E. , Lopez mark! , Gribble Matthew O. , Gutschow Wendy , Austin Christine , Arora Manish
Published: September 2019

Advocates for civil rights, environmental justice, and movements promoting social justice require data and may lack trust in public authorities, turning instead to academic scientists to help address their questions. Assessing historical exposure to toxic chemicals, especially in situations of a specific industrial source of pollution affecting a community, is critical for informing appropriate public health and policy responses. We describe a community-driven approach to integrate retrospective environmental hazard exposure assessment with community organizing to address concerns about the extent of exposure to toxic metals in a predominantly working-class, Latinx community living near a now-closed lead–acid battery smelter facility. Named the “Truth Fairy Project” by leaders of the community organization East Yard Communities for Environmental Justice, this community–university partnership aimed to assess prenatal and early-life exposures to toxic metals through biomarkers of exposure in baby/deciduous teeth. This partnership integrated community mobilization with empirical research, informing residents about toxic metal exposures and improving the community’s capacity to respond to a public health crisis.
Strengthening Our Collaborative Approaches for Advancing Equity and Justice
Authors: Kegler Michelle C. , Wolff Tom , Christens Brian D. , Butterfoss Frances Dunn , Francisco Vincent T. , Orleans Tracy
Published: September 2019

The Principles for Collaborating for Equity and Justice are explicit about addressing social and economic injustice, structural racism, and community organizing to facilitate resident power and ownership. They also focus on structural change, an acknowledgment of complexity, and the need to thoughtfully build on decades of practice and scholarship on collaborating for community change. This special theme issue of Health Education & Behavior includes 10 articles that highlight these principles and provide insight into the complexities, challenges, and rewards of collaborating in ways that are intentional about advancing health equity through inclusive processes and shared goals to address social determinants of health. We provide a brief overview of the articles and identify community organizing and building resident power as possible strategies that should be combined with, complement, or in some cases replace, our more commonplace multisectoral coalitions if we hope to reduce health inequities through community collaboration.
Structural intersectionality and Indigenous Canadian youth who trade sex: understanding mobility beyond the trafficking model
Authors: Ting David Allan Jun-Rong , Showden Carisa R
Published: September 2019

Indigenous young people in Canada who trade sex frequently move locations as part of their survival tactics in negotiating the myriad vulnerabilities they face. Both Canadian law and social activists label all such mobility “trafficking”, which conceals the ways in which Indigenous youth are forced by structural factors beyond their control to be mobile to survive. Two politically opposed frameworks have been offered for understanding sex trading by Indigenous youth. While each explains some vulnerabilities faced by these young people, both overlook others. We posit mobility and sex trading as strategic responses to the material and ideological conditions faced by Indigenous young people, but strategic responses rooted in vulnerability and rife with exploitation. Ultimately, we argue that mobility is a response to vulnerability rather than its source.
“So we tell them”: articulating strong Black masculinities in an urban Indigenous community
Authors: Mukandi Bryan , Singh David , Brady Karla , Willis Jon , Sinha Tanya , Askew Deborah , Bond Chelsea
Published: September 2019

There is a growing literature on Indigenous masculinities written by scholars in North America, Hawai‘i and New Zealand which draws on a variety of approaches. While there are signs of scholarly interest in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander masculinities in Australia, this has yet to translate into a distinct body of work. This article is a potential opening onto such a future corpus, foregrounding and privileging how Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander men understand themselves. Interviews with 13 men, ranging in age from young teenagers through to Elders—among whom were Traditional Owners, school pupils, university students, community workers, health professionals and retirees—yielded a conception of Indigenous masculinities not concerned with recovering a lost masculinity. Rather, what was presented to us is a distinct conception of Indigenous masculinities rooted in place; a relationality motivated by an intergenerational sense of responsibility; a nuanced idea of “acting hard.”
Application of fuzzy VIKOR method for the evaluation and selection of a suitable tugboat
Authors: Balin Abit , Şener Bekir , Demirel Hakan
Published: September 2019

Tugboats have a very critical role in numerous fields of the maritime sector. There are many types of tugboats with different characteristics that give superior results in different operations. Choosing the most suitable tugboat type for the desired operation is a multi-criteria problem that requires expertise. The design features of the tugboat and the propulsion system are important features used for classification. In addition, operational, environmental, and financial factors are also of considerable importance. In this article, determined criteria for tugboats classified according to their propulsion systems have been evaluated by subject-matter experts through a questionnaire. Fuzzy Shannon Entropy has been used to calculate the weights of each determined criterion. Then, fuzzy VIKOR was selected to rank the alternatives due to good compatibility with Entropy and the ability to adequately distinguish the table values that compose the ranking. Finally, the most suitable tugboat type was chosen in accordance with these results.
Visibility of the phantom array effect according to luminance, chromaticity and geometry
Authors: Park SW , Lee C-S , Kang HR , Pak HS , Wilkins A
Published: September 2019

Light-emitting diode-based lighting systems are now applied in both general lighting and automotive lighting. Time-modulated control methods such as pulse width modulation are frequently applied as a dimming method. This paper presents the characteristics of the visibility of the phantom array effect according to luminance, chromaticity and angular field of view. The threshold frequency of the visibility of the phantom array increases in proportion to the logarithm of the luminance of the light source. As the angular field of view of the light source increases, the threshold frequency of the visibility of the array decreases exponentially over a range from 0.125° to 4° in our experimental conditions. The threshold frequency at which the array is visible depends on chromaticity at high light source modulation frequencies. When designing time-modulated light sources, our findings can be applied so as to minimize the phantom array effect.
Manipulating Gut Microbiota Composition to Enhance the Therapeutic Effect of Cancer Immunotherapy
Authors: Yi Ming , Jiao Dechao , Qin Shuang , Chu Qian , Li Anping , Wu Kongming
Published: September 2019

In the past decade, a growing set of immunotherapies including immune checkpoint blockade, chimeric antigen receptor T cells, and bispecific antibodies propelled the advancement of oncology therapeutics. Accumulating evidence demonstrates that immunotherapy could eliminate tumors better than traditional chemotherapy or radiotherapy with lower risk of adverse events in numerous cancer types. Unfortunately, a substantial proportion of patients eventually acquire resistance to immunotherapy. By analyzing the differences between immunotherapy-sensitive and immunotherapy-resistant populations, it was noticed that the composition of gut microbiota is closely related to treatment effect. Moreover, in xenograft models, interventional regulation of gut microbiota could effectively enhance efficacy and relieve resistance during immunotherapy. Thus, we believe that gut microbiota composition might be helpful to explain the heterogeneity of treatment effect, and manipulating gut microbiota could be a promising adjuvant treatment for cancer immunotherapy. In this mini review, we focus on the latest understanding of the cross-talk between gut microbiota and host immunity. Moreover, we highlight the role of gut microbiota in cancer immunotherapy including immune checkpoint inhibitor and adoptive cell transfer.
Deep Circumflex Iliac Artery as an Inflow Alternative for Surgical Revascularization: A Case Report
Authors: Haga Makoto , Motohashi Shinya , Inoue Hidenori , Akasaka Junetsu , Shindo Shunya
Published: September 2019

The common femoral artery (CFA) is the most widely used inflow in all types of surgical revascularization in patients with peripheral artery disease. However, the CFA cannot always be used because of calcification, obstruction, or previous dissection. Here, we report a rare case of selecting the deep circumflex iliac artery (DCIA) as a source of inflow to perform a surgical revascularization in a patient with chronic limb-threatening ischemia. A 62-year-old man was admitted to our hospital due to necrotized third and fifth toes with pain at rest. Computed tomography showed severe stenosis of the CFA, superficial femoral artery, and deep femoral artery, and an entirely stented external iliac artery. The DCIA was identified as the only patent artery. Considering the condition of the other arteries, we selected the DCIA as a source of inflow. Deep circumflex iliac–popliteal bypass was performed with a saphenous vein. The bypass graft was patent 9 months after surgery and limb salvage had been achieved.