bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Are some sectors more “youth friendly” than others? Employment regimes, sectors, and gender disparities in the Great Recession
Authors: O'Reilly Jacqueline , Grotti Raffaele , Russell Helen
Published: June 2019

Despite national differences in youth employment, many countries share striking similarities in the uneven sectoral distribution of job opportunities for young women and men in Europe. A shift‐share analysis of European Labour Force data identifies “youth‐friendly” sectors, how this varies between countries, and how this changed during the Great Recession. This reveals how youth job opportunities were lost because the sector shrank or because employers were less likely to offer full‐time, permanent contracts. New jobs for youth were more likely to be in part‐time and temporary employment. Youth vulnerability to unemployment is contingent not only on employers' engagement with institutions shaping school‐to‐work transitions but also on gender segregation and to the fact that some sectors have been particularly fragile during the economic crisis. Future research needs to link institutional effects with employers' business strategies to understand how these shape job opportunities for young women and men.
CRISPR/Cas9‐enhanced ssDNA recombineering for Pseudomonas putida
Authors: Aparicio Tomás , de Lorenzo Víctor , Martínez‐García Esteban
Published: June 2019

Implementation of single‐stranded DNA (ssDNA) recombineering in Pseudomonas putida has widened the range of genetic manipulations applicable to this biotechnologically relevant bacterium. Yet, the relatively low efficiency of the technology hampers identification of mutated clones lacking conspicuous phenotypes. Fortunately, the use of CRISPR/Cas9 as a device for counterselection of wild‐type sequences helps to overcome this limitation. Merging ssDNA recombineering with CRISPR/Cas9 thus enables a suite of genomic edits with a straightforward approach: a CRISPR plasmid provides the spacer DNA sequence that directs the Cas9 nuclease ribonucleoprotein complex to cleave the genome at the wild‐type sequences that have not undergone the change entered by the mutagenic ssDNA oligonucleotide(s). This protocol describes a complete workflow of the method optimized for P. putida, although it could in principle be applicable to many other pseudomonads. As an example, we show the deletion of the edd gene that encodes one key enzyme that operates the EDEMP cycle for glucose metabolism in P. putida EM42. By combining two incompatible CRISPR plasmids with different antibiotic selection markers, we show that the procedure can be cycled to implement consecutive deletions in the same strain, e.g. deletion of the pyrF gene following that of the edd mutant. This approach adds to the wealth of genetic technologies available for P. putida and strengthens its status as a chassis of choice for a suite of biotechnological applications.
MEMORY, POSTMEMORY, AND PLACE IN THE SYNAGOGUES OF ROMAN SYRIA
Authors: STERN KAREN B.
Published: June 2019

Considerations of Jews in antiquity commonly emphasize the role of common institutions (such as the Jerusalem Temple) and shared traumatic experiences (such as exile) in generating distinctive modes of memory formation and memorialization. This paper takes a different approach. By drawing from recent discussions of memory and postmemory developed in the fields of sociology, anthropology, and visual studies, and by considering diverse data from wall paintings, ceiling decorations, inscriptions, graffiti, and mosaics, the ensuing analysis demonstrates how variegated were the practices and dynamics of memory among Jews living in Roman Syria and elsewhere. Asking different types of questions about memorial practices documented in synagogues and surrounding buildings in Dura-Europos and Apamea challenges regnant assumptions about commonalities in Jewish memory and argues for a more localized and spatial approach to Jewish memory practices, the dynamics of which were as personal as they were collective, and as particular as they were locally contingent.
HELIOPOLIS: COINS, TEMPLES, AND SIGHT LINES
Authors: BUTCHER KEVIN
Published: June 2019

Recent research on the temples at Roman Heliopolis (Baalbek in modern Lebanon) has emphasized visual links between architectural elements within and between the sanctuaries. This paper explores the ways in which the representations of the temples and sanctuaries on the civic coinage of Heliopolis can contribute to this debate. The civic coins are here understood as objects which helped to construct identity and communal memory in the city that issued them.
Discriminative Stimulus Effects and Metabolism of Ethanol in Rhesus Monkeys
Authors: Allen Daicia C. , Grant Kathleen A.
Published: June 2019

Background

Animal models are an essential feature of drug and pharmacotherapy development for treating alcohol use disorders (AUDs). The rhesus macaque is a robust animal model for many aspects of AUDs particularly in exploiting individual differences in oral self‐administration of ethanol (EtOH), endocrine orchestration of stress response, and menstrual cycle characteristics. However, the clearance rates of EtOH have not been reported in this species, and the GABAA and N‐methyl‐D‐aspartate (NMDA) receptor involvement in EtOH's discriminative stimulus effects has not been fully characterized.

Methods

EtOH clearance rates following 2 doses of EtOH on separate days (0.5 and 1.0 g/kg, i.g.) were determined in 8 young adult male rhesus macaques. The EtOH was given by nasogastric gavage, and repeated blood samples were taken over 5 hours without sedation. Next, all subjects were trained on a 2‐choice 1.0 g/kg EtOH (i.g.) versus water discrimination with a 60‐minutes pretreatment period to capture peak blood EtOH concentration (BEC). Substitution testing was conducted with GABAA ligands pentobarbital (i.g. and i.m.) and midazolam (i.g.), as well as NMDA antagonist MK‐801 (i.m.).

Results

Peak BECs were 34 and 87 mg/dl for 0.5 and 1.0 g/kg doses, respectively, and occurred at 66 and 87 minutes following gavage. All GABAA and NMDA ligands tested resulted in responding on the EtOH‐appropriate lever with the potency ranking of MK‐801 (ED50: 0.017 mg/kg) > midazolam (ED50: 1.6 mg/kg) > pentobarbital (ED50: 3.7 mg/kg) > EtOH (ED50: 700 mg/kg, or 0.7 g/kg) in these subjects.

Conclusions

These results suggest that the compound discriminative stimulus effects of EtOH are highly consistent across species, providing further support for the rhesus macaque as strong model for pharmacotherapy development for AUD.
S100A8, which increases with age, induces cellular senescence‐like changes in bovine oviduct epithelial cells
Authors: Nakamura Yuki , Iwata Hisataka , Kuwayama Takehito , Shirasuna Koumei
Published: June 2019

Problem

The oviduct is an essential component in reproduction and oviduct epithelial cells (OECs) secrete various types of cytokine. However, mechanisms of aging and inflammation of OECs are unknown. We previously reported the age‐dependent functional changes of bovine OECs such that aged OECs expressed higher levels of inflammatory cytokines. We selected S100A8 and S100A9 as molecules expressed more highly in aged OECs, as candidates to induce age‐related changes, and investigated using bovine OECs.

Method of study

The OECs were isolated from bovine oviductal tissues (Aged, more than 120 months; Young, between 30 and 50 months) and cultured.

Results

Aged OECs exhibited higher senescence‐associated (SA)‐β‐gal staining (a biomarker of cellular senescence) and mRNA expression of SA‐inflammatory cytokines than young OECs. Cellular senescence occurred in both young and aged OECs upon passaging the cells. Treatment with S100A8, but not S100A9, resulted in the induction of cellular senescence in bovine OECs. Both S100A8 and S100A9 stimulated the secretion of the inflammatory cytokine IL‐8 from bovine OECs. S100A8‐induced IL‐8 secretion was dependent on receptor RAGE, AP‐1 activation, and reactive oxygen species production. In addition, S100A8 reduced the content of collagen while inducing the expression of matrix metalloproteinases, suggesting the induction of dysregulation of the extracellular matrix in OECs.

Conclusion

We suggest that bovine OECs recognize an excessive increase in age‐associated DAMPs, such as S100A8 and S100A9, and that these signals may contribute to chronic oviductal inflammation, resulting in infertility associated with oviductal dysfunction.
Student selection to a rural veterinary school. 2: predictors of student performance and attrition
Authors: Raidal SL , Lord J , Hayes L , Hyams J , Lievaart J
Published: June 2019

Objective

To evaluate the extent to which current selection processes at Charles Sturt University, New South Wales, Australia, predict performance within and attrition from the veterinary degree program.

Design

Retrospective evaluation of application details and student performance data.

Methods

Database records of 424 students entering the veterinary program were retrieved from university records, including all students graduating (n = 356) or leaving the program without completing (n = 68) between 2005 and 2016. Demographic data were related to results of selection processes and achievement within the degree using univariable and multivariable general linear and logistic regression analyses.

Results

The grade point average achieved over the 6 years of the degree was influenced by academic achievement prior to entry, gender (females performed ≈ 2% better than males) and interview scores. Preceptor evaluation of final‐year clinical performance was associated with interview scores, gender (males performed ≈ 4% better than females) and residential address at the time of application. Attrition for personal reasons was more common for female students and students who had completed a prior degree, and students who experienced academic or personal attrition had lower written application scores. Factors that have been previously linked to poor academic outcomes, including rural or low socioeconomic background, were not associated with adverse student outcomes.

Conclusion

Selection processes did not systematically disadvantage students admitted to the degree program. Gender differences in personal attrition and academic and clinical performance warrant further evaluation. Factors in addition to academic aptitude predicted student success.
Efflux transport of nicotine, cotinine and trans‐3′‐hydroxycotinine glucuronides by human hepatic transporters
Authors: Järvinen Erkka , Sjöstedt Noora , Koenderink Jan B. , Kidron Heidi , Finel Moshe
Published: June 2019

Nicotine is the addiction causing alkaloid in tobacco, and it is used in smoking cessation therapies. Although the metabolic pathways of nicotine are well known and mainly occur in the liver, the transport of nicotine and its metabolites is poorly characterized. The highly hydrophilic nature and urinary excretion of nicotine glucuronide metabolites indicate that hepatic basolateral efflux transporters mediate their excretion. We aimed here to find the transporters responsible for the hepatic excretion of nicotine, cotinine and trans‐3′‐hydroxycotinine (OH‐cotinine) glucuronides. To this end, we tested their transport by multidrug resistance‐associated proteins 1 (MRP1, ABCC1) and MRP3‐6 (ABCC3‐6), which are located on the basolateral membranes of hepatocytes, as well as MRP2 (ABCC2), breast cancer resistance protein (BCRP, ABCG2) and multidrug resistance protein 1 (MDR1, P‐gp, ABCB1) that are expressed in the apical membranes of these cells. ATP‐dependent transport of these glucuronides was evaluated in inside‐out membrane vesicles expressing the transporter of interest. In addition, potential interactions of both the glucuronides and parent compounds with selected transporters were tested by inhibition assays. Considerable ATP‐dependent transport was observed only for OH‐cotinine glucuronide by MRP3. The kinetics of this transport activity was characterized, resulting in an estimated Km value of 895 µmol/L. No significant transport was found for nicotine or cotinine glucuronides by any of the tested transporters at either 5 or 50 µmol/L substrate concentration. Furthermore, neither nicotine, cotinine nor OH‐cotinine inhibited MRP2‐4, BCRP or MDR1. In this study, we directly examined, for the first time, efflux transport of the three hydrophilic nicotine glucuronide metabolites by the major human hepatic efflux transporters. Despite multiple transporters studied here, our results indicate that an unknown transporter may be responsible for the hepatic excretion of nicotine and cotinine glucuronides.
In praise of the International Geographical Union
Authors: Slaymaker Olav
Published: June 2019

This viewpoint is a highly personal account of what the International Geographical Union (IGU) has meant for a 50‐year career in Canadian geography and is a consideration of the importance of the IGU to geographers world‐wide. The author's earliest experiences of the IGU, the IGU's Commissions, its disciplinary perspective, some political problems experienced by IGU scholars, and the IGU as a global geographical community are the main topics considered.
Pycnodysostosis: Natural history and management guidelines from 27 French cases and a literature review
Authors: Bizaoui Varoona , Michot Caroline , Baujat Geneviève , Amouroux Cyril , Baron Sabine , Capri Yline , Cohen‐Solal Martine , Collet Corinne , Dieux Anne , Geneviève David , Isidor Bertrand , Monnot Sophie , Rossi Massimiliano , Rothenbuhler Anya , Schaefer Elise , Cormier‐Daire Valérie
Published: June 2019

Pycnodysostosis is a lysosomal autosomal recessive skeletal dysplasia characterized by osteosclerosis, short stature, acro‐osteolysis, facial features and an increased risk of fractures. The clinical heterogeneity of the disease and its rarity make it difficult to provide patients an accurate prognosis, as well as appropriate care and follow‐up. French physicians from the OSCAR network have been asked to fill out questionnaires collecting molecular and clinical data for 27 patients issued from 17 unrelated families. All patients showed short stature (mean = −3.5 SD) which was more severe in females (P = .006). The mean fracture rate was moderate (0.21 per year), with four fractures in total average. About 75% underwent at least one surgery, with an average number of 2.1 interventions per patient. About 50% required non‐invasive assisted ventilation due to sleep apnea (67%). About 29% showed psychomotor difficulties and 33% needed a school assistant or adapted schooling. No patient had any psychological evaluation or follow‐up. Molecular data were available for 14 families. Growth hormone administration was efficient on linear growth in 40% of cases. We propose several axis of management, such as systematic cerebral MRI for Chiari malformation screening at diagnosis and regular psychological follow‐up.
Urban Settler Colonialism: Policing and Displacing Indigeneity in Taipei, Taiwan
Authors: Sugimoto Tomonori
Published: June 2019

This article argues that colonialism needs to be explicitly foregrounded in analyses of urban processes in settler colonial cities. Urban settler colonialism is an ongoing process that affects urban indigenous subjects, a force that builds on the longue durée of settler colonialism that has dispossessed them for centuries. My article draws on ethnographic research conducted with a group of indigenous Pangcah/Amis people who have migrated to the Taipei region in Taiwan over the last forty years. While paying attention to the long history of settler colonialism on the island and specifically in the Taipei region—the erasure of indigenous Ketagalan heritage in northern Taiwan, indigenous land dispossession in rural villages, and a consequent post‐WWII influx of indigenous people into Taipei, and the displacement of urban indigenous squatter settlements since the 1990s—I will ethnographically focus on a group of indigenous public housing residents who have continued to face urban settler colonialism. I discuss how they have negotiated with surveillance and policing from their on‐site housing management team, charges of incivility from Han state agents and neighbors, and displacement from urban redevelopment.
“This Looks Like Chinatown!”: Contested Geographies and the Transformation of Social Space in Jyatha, Kathmandu
Authors: Linder Benjamin
Published: June 2019

As tourists from China account for a larger and larger share of Nepal's tourism economy, Jyatha—a small neighborhood in Kathmandu—has absorbed a substantial portion of the Chinese businesses catering to this booming demographic. Its landscape is heavily populated with Chinese businesses, leading Nepalis (and others) to increasingly refer to the space with the English term “Chinatown.” Drawing on Low's (2000) and Chuang and Trémon's (2013) conceptual frameworks of space, this article analyzes three central dimensions to the emergence of a Chinatown in Jyatha. First, it describes the social production of Chinatown space, the physical conversion of the material landscape. Specifically, I analyze the prevalence and prominence of commercial signs as a proxy for quantifying the degree of Chinese incursion into Jyatha. Second, the article turns to the social construction of Chinatown space, or the way in which the material space of Jyatha gets encoded with ambivalent meanings. Nepali narrations of the neighborhood highlight local anxieties regarding cultural autonomy and, more acutely, differential economic advantage. Third, the article discusses the social situation of Chinatown space, or the way in which the site of Jyatha gets discursively rescaled to address regional and global concerns. Nepalis frequently understand Jyatha to embody broader geopolitical narratives—regarding China's ascendance on the world stage, and especially as this relates to the Nepal's regional center of gravity vis‐à‐vis India. These three aspects—production, construction, and situation—converge in Jyatha. Through such practices, Nepalis simultaneously reiterate and contest the emergence of Chinatown. In so doing, they discursively challenge sociopolitical, economic, and spatial inequality at several scales.
“Opportunistic Waiting”: Tea and Young Men's Gatherings in Pikine, Senegal
Authors: Prothmann Sebastian
Published: June 2019

Toog (sitting), rey temps bi (killing time), and xaar (waiting) are expressions that characterize the current predicament of young males in Pikine, an urban area in the Dakar region of Senegal. These young men, who gather together daily in the koñ (i.e., a hangout at a street corner), emphasize this predicament as only a temporary circumstance of life, which I conceive of as “opportunistic waiting.” Overall, the local societal atmosphere makes young men feel under constant pressure to achieve something in life in order to become full‐fledged responsible men, an endeavor that is obstructed by a plethora of factors. However, in Pikinois society, “waiting” can also be seen in a positive way as an indicator of social status, as it signals that one is not so poor as to accept every kind of work. This paper, based on ethnographic research conducted over a period of eleven months between 2011 and 2013, assesses “opportunistic waiting” as a meaningful constructed temporality offering sociability among young men who are all in the same situation of not being able to become social adults.
Total and regional body fat status among children and young people with cerebral palsy: A scoping review
Authors: Whitney Daniel G. , Gross‐Richmond Penina , Hurvitz Edward A. , Peterson Mark D.
Published: June 2019

The purpose of our scoping review was to determine if children and young people with cerebral palsy (CP) have elevated total or regional body fat compared to children and young people without CP. Databases (Ovid MEDLINE, Embase Ovid, CINHAL and Scopus) were systematically searched from 1 January 1993 to 7 December 2018 in order to identify articles that compared weight status, total body fat or regional body fat (eg, abdominal) between children and young people (0‐21 years) with and without CP. Extracted data included country, subject characteristics, group sample sizes and matching strategies, methods/measures for weight status/fat depot, fat depot(s) assessed and key findings. Twenty‐two studies were included. Of these, 19 studies examined total body fat; the most common method was use of anthropometrics and the more common measures were body mass index and skin‐fold thickness. Twelve studies examined at least one regional fat depot; the most common method was use of anthropometrics and the most common measure was skin‐fold thickness. Findings were inconsistent across studies. Further, among 10 studies that examined total and regional body fat depots, 8 found differences across fat depots within the same children and young people (eg, no difference in total body fat but higher abdominal fat). This review provides a summary of inconsistent findings from published studies on body fat comparisons between children and young people with vs without CP, highlights limitations for evaluating body fat for children with CP and discusses future research directions.
A case report on endarteritis in a child with coarctation of aorta
Authors: Gnanam Devi , Bartelds Beatrijs , van Leeuwen Wouter J , Frohn‐Mulder Ingrid M. , Koopman Laurens P.
Published: June 2019

Coarctation of aorta(CoA), complicated by endarteritis in a children is very rare. Here we present a case of endarteritis in an unoperated CoA in a four year old boy. CoA had been diagnosed in the referring hospital, yet the diagnosis of endocarditis distal to CoA, was made in the tertiary center using modified transthoracic echo windows or focused views. After six weeks of intravenous antibiotic treatment, a coarctectomy and end‐to‐end anastomosis was performed and he recovered clinically well. This case report concludes that echocardiography remains as the standard diagnostic method for identifying intracardiac manifestations of infective endocarditis/endarteritis. Last but foremost, it delineates the importance of modified transthoracic echo windows or focused views in identifying the unusual position of endocarditis.
Favorable impact of non‐alcoholic fatty liver disease on the cerebral white matter hyperintensity in a neurologically healthy population
Authors: Jeong S.‐M. , Kwon H. , Park S. , Yu S. J. , Jeong H.‐Y. , Nam K.‐W. , Kwon H.‐M. , Park J.‐H.
Published: June 2019

Background and purpose

Although non‐alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) shares common cardiovascular risk factors with cerebral white matter hyperintensity (WMH), few studies have reported the association between NAFLD and WMH. The association between the presence of NAFLD with its severity and the volume of WMH was investigated.

Methods

This cross‐sectional study was conducted for 2460 subjects who voluntarily participated in health screening check‐ups including brain magnetic resonance imaging and liver ultrasonography at the Health Promotion Center at Seoul National University Hospital from 2009 to 2013. Ultrasonography was used to detect the presence and severity of NAFLD combined with the NAFLD fibrosis score and the FIB‐4 index. The volume of WMH was measured using a semi‐automated quantification method by a trained neurologist.

Results

The prevalence of NAFLD was 36.5%, and the median volume of WMH in all the subjects was 1.1 ml (interquartile range 0.2–2.7 ml). The presence of NAFLD was associated with a smaller volume of WMH [β (standard error, SE) −0.051 (0.046); P = 0.012]. Moderate to severe NAFLD was associated with a smaller volume of WMH than was non‐NAFLD [β (SE) −0.067 (0.061); P = 0.002]. The negative correlation observed between NAFLD severity and WMH volume was persistent only in those with low FIB‐4 index and low NAFLD fibrosis scores, whereas there was a positive association in those with high FIB‐4 index and NAFLD fibrosis scores.

Conclusions

Non‐alcoholic fatty liver disease, and its severity, showed a favorable association with WMH volume. However, its causality and mechanism should be evaluated in further relevantly designed studies.
Diabetes, arthritis, urinary incontinence, poor self‐rated health, higher body mass index and lower handgrip strength are associated with falls among community‐dwelling middle‐aged and older adults: Pooled analyses from two cross‐sectional Malaysian datasets
Authors: Singh Devinder Kaur Ajit , Shahar Suzana , Vanoh Divya , Kamaruzzaman Shahrul Bahyah , Tan Maw Pin
Published: June 2019

Aim

The identification of risk factors associated with comorbidities and physical fitness might provide pathways for planning therapeutic targets for future falls prevention. Results from large datasets that examined falls risk factors in Asia have been limited. The aim of the present study was to identify the risk factors for falls by pooling data consisting of medical history, physical performance and self‐rated health from two large Malaysian epidemiological studies.

Methods

Matching variables from the Towards Useful Aging and Malaysian Elders Longitudinal Research datasets related to falls, physical performance and determinants of falls were identified and pooled for analysis. The Timed Up and Go test and dominant handgrip strength tests were used as physical performance measures. Falls were self‐reported, and functional status was assessed using activities of daily living.

Results

Data of 3935 participants, mean age 68.9 ± 6.8 years, 2127 (54.0%) women and 1807 (46.0%) men were extracted for analyses. In an adjusted model, independent risk factors for falls from this cohort studies were diabetes (OR 1.258), arthritis (OR 1.366), urinary incontinence (OR 1.346), poor self‐rated health (OR 1.293), higher body mass index (OR 1.029) and lower handgrip strength (OR 1.234).

Conclusions

Although the risk factors that emerged from our analyses were similar to available studies among older adults, the Timed Up and Go test did not appear as one of the risk factors in the present study that included middle‐aged adults. Our findings will require confirmation in a prospective study. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2019; 19: 798–803.
High‐precision Determination of Gold Mass Fractions in Geological Reference Materials by Internal Standardisation
Authors: Cheng Huai , Wang Zaicong , Chen Kang , Zong Keqing , Zou Zongqi , He Tao , Hu Zhaochu , Fischer‐Gödde Mario , Liu Yanhong
Published: June 2019

Determination of gold abundances in natural rock is critical for applications, but very challenging. Here, we report a method for determining gold with a very low mass fraction (> 0.01 ng g−1) in rocks. The method involves Carius tube digestion with reverse aqua regia, chromatographic separation to remove most of the sample matrix and measurement by high‐sensitivity ICP‐MS. The mono‐isotopic element gold was quantified by external calibration using an internal standardisation of gold to platinum that was precisely determined by isotope dilution. The method is robust and the obtained results are indistinguishable (< 5–10%, 2s) from those independently obtained by a standard addition technique on the same solution. The results from reference materials TDB‐1 and GPt‐2 are consistent with the certified values and those determined by HF‐aqua regia digestion, confirming the validity of the method. TDB‐1 (n = 20), GPt‐2 (n = 6), BHVO‐2 (n = 9) and other mafic RMs are homogenous for gold (10–20%, 2s) at the 2 g test portion level; however, sample heterogeneity affects some RMs. Gold and platinum‐group elements also display different extents of sample heterogeneity for different RMs. Given the homogeneity observed for TDB‐1, GPt‐2 and BHOV‐2, they are recommended as well‐suited RMs for inter‐laboratory comparison studies of gold.
Pre‐hospital thrombolysis for ST‐segment elevation myocardial infarction in regional Australia: long‐term follow up
Authors: Khan Arshad A. , Williams Trent , Al‐Omary Mohamed S. , Feeney Alex L. , Majeed Tazeen , Savage Lindsay , Stewart Paul , Faddy Steven , Collins Nicholas J. , Fletcher Peter , Boyle Andrew J.
Published: June 2019

Background

Delivering reperfusion therapy to patients with ST‐segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) in regional areas without access to tertiary cardiology care remains challenging. The systems of care in Hunter New England Health, New South Wales, Australia (area covered = 130 000 km2) to provide reperfusion to patients with STEMI involve a 12‐lead electrocardiogram in the ambulance, discussion between cardiologist and paramedic, followed by pre‐hospital thrombolysis (PHT) delivered in ambulance to appropriate patients >60 min from the cardiac catheterisation laboratories. Patients who can access the cardiac catheterisation laboratories within 60 min are treated with primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).

Aims

We have previously reported excellent 12‐month outcomes for patients receiving PHT and the aim of the current analysis is to look at the long term outcomes.

Methods

We assessed long‐term all‐cause mortality and major adverse cardiovascular events of STEMI patients undergoing PHT in our health district from August 2008 to August 2013 and compared with the primary PCI group.

Results

One hundred and fifty (mean age: 62 ± 13 years, males: 76%, n = 114) patients were administered PHT and 334 patients (mean age: 65 ± 13 years, males: 75%, n = 251) underwent primary PCI during the study period. During a median follow up of 6.2 years (interquartile range: 4.8–7.4 years) all‐cause mortality was 16% and 19% in the PHT and primary PCI groups respectively (P = 0.4).

Conclusion

Our real‐world experience shows that PHT followed by early transfer to a primary PCI‐capable centre is an effective reperfusion strategy, with comparable results to primary PCI, and mortality benefits are sustained to more than 6 years.
A training intervention for home care nurses in cross‐cultural communication: An evaluation study of changes in attitudes, knowledge and behaviour
Authors: Filmer Tobias , Herbig Britta
Published: June 2019

Aims

To assess whether a training intervention in cross‐cultural communication can positively impact attitudes, knowledge and behaviour and to investigate possible dependencies between these components.

Design

(Controlled) longitudinal multimethod evaluation.

Methods

A training based on theoretical considerations and informed by semi‐standardized interviews with home care nurses was developed and evaluated. Participants rated their cross‐cultural attitudes, knowledge and behaviour and answered case vignettes assessing their knowledge before and after this training. Shift observations assessed behaviourial aspects at t1 and t2. Data were collected between June 2016–March 2017 and between April 2017–November 2017. Analyses of variance and multiple linear regression models were employed.

Results

The training showed promising tendencies with cross‐cultural attitudes, knowledge and behaviour with diverging results for initially quite high self‐reports showing positive but mostly not significant developments and objective assessments mostly showing significant positive changes. There were significant associations between self‐reported cross‐cultural behaviour at t1 and objective cross‐cultural knowledge at t2, whereas self‐rated and objectively assessed knowledge showed no significant associations. Shift observations showed significant positive developments in participants’ communication behaviour.

Conclusion

Our study shows the importance of using different methods and targeting different outcomes areas to rate impacts of (cross‐cultural) training interventions. Future studies should consider challenging conditions in home care nursing affecting the success of interventions and investigate mechanisms of skill acquisition in nursing.

Impact

This is one of very few studies using multi‐method approach to evaluate a cross‐cultural competency intervention and simultaneously assess cross‐cultural attitudes, knowledge and behaviour including possible dependencies between these aspects.
The level of sense of coherence among Swedish nursing staff
Authors: Eriksson Monica , Kerekes Nóra , Brink Peter , Pennbrant Sandra , Nunstedt Håkan
Published: June 2019

Aim

To explore the level of sense of coherence among Swedish nursing staff. Design: An explorative quantitative study design was adopted using a short form for measuring sense of coherence.

Methods

Data were collected in January 2018 from nurses working in full‐time positions at two hospitals in Western Sweden. A total of 93 nurses completed the 13 item questionnaire measuring sense of coherence. Descriptive statistics were applied to obtain means and standard deviations. Spearman's rank correlation was used to describe strength of association between sense of coherence and socio‐demographic categories. Between‐group differences were defined using the nonparametric tests of Mann Whitney U test and Kruskal–Wallis test.

Results

The internal consistency of the SOC‐13 was low. An inter‐item‐correlation test indicated that two items decreased the internal consistency of the scale. The level of the three dimensions of sense of coherence varied; manageability was weakest and decreased the total sense of coherence. The meaningfulness dimension was as strongest.

Conclusion

On a national level, nurses reported weaker sense of coherence (SOC) than the general population, but stronger in an international comparison of nurses. They found their work difficult to manage, but meaningful.

Impact

On a national level, the nurses reported weaker SOC than the general population, but stronger in an international comparison of nurses. Findings from this study will have an impact on how nurses can manage work related stress in terms of sense of coherence. There will also be an impact on nurses' well‐being, which in a long run benefits patients.
Care of (potentially) brain‐dead patients: A qualitative study protocol
Authors: Drexler Sabine , Kugler Christiane , Farin Erik
Published: June 2019

Aim

Aim of this study was to describe the experiences of intensive care unit (ICU) nurses, physicians and relatives of (potentially) brain dead patients; and to develop recommendations to optimize the workflows on ICUs.

Background

Limited published information on caring for brain dead patients suggest it to be a burden for the nursing staff. It also remains unclear how physicians and relatives of (potentially) brain dead patients perceive these experiences.

Design

Interpretive phenomenology according to Benner.

Methods

Medical caregivers (nurses’ und physicians) from multiple wards in a German University Medical Center and relatives of (potentially) brain dead patients will be interviewed. Data collection will include episodic interviews with participants’ experiences in care of (potentially) brain dead patients. The study is funded by the Ministry of Science, Research and the Arts, Baden‐Württemberg (1 February 2016).

Discussion

Gaining insights into caring for (potentially) brain dead patients and its associated burden will lead to the development of better recommendations to assist all people involved.

Impact

Expand the understanding of the experience of healthcare professionals in the care for (potentially) brain dead patients. Understand the experience of relatives of (potentially) brain dead patients. Findings from this study will support the development of recommendations for action by a multi‐professional expert group consisting of nurses, physicians, healthcare managers and patient advocates.

Trial registration: Protocol version. German Register for Clinical Studies (Registration No. DRKS00010420) Database of Health Services Research Germany (Project Nr. VfD_16_003710).
Optimization of fluidized bed preconditioning for microwave puffed rice using integrated artificial neural network and genetic algorithm approach
Authors: Dash Kshirod K. , Das Susanta K.
Published: June 2019

Preconditioning of rice is heat curing of salt infused moist parboiled rice prior to microwave puffing process. The sudden expansion of moisture present in the interstices of the starch granules caused by microwave heating of the preconditioned rice results in highly expanded smooth‐surface puffed rice. The expansion ratio (ER) and percentage of puffing (PP) of the microwave puffed rice preconditioned under different conditions were varied between 5.16–7.51 and 84.32–93.12%, respectively. Optimum temperature, air velocity, and salt concentration for fluidized bed preconditioning obtained by using integrated artificial neural network and genetic algorithm approach were estimated to be 70°C, 2.9 m s−1, and 4%, respectively. The predicted values of ER and PP at optimum combination of independent variables were 7.5 and 92.82%, respectively. Scanning electron microscopy revealed that preconditioning transformed the compact polyhedral structure of starch granules to fused mass with interlocking and overlapping structure.

Practical applications

Preconditioning with fluidized bed drying of salt infused rice would be feasible as a substitute with traditional direct heat curing process with saving of time, labor, and energy. This study would enhance understanding of the effects of preconditioning process on the mechanisms of puffing. Artificial neural network and genetic algorithm integrated optimization can be applied for prediction and control of mechanization of the preconditioning and puffing process. Preconditioned rice can be puffed directly by using a microwave oven that will make the puffing process convenient to consumers.
Microwave‐convective hot airdried jamun (Syzygium cuminiL.) pulp powder: Optimization of drying aids
Authors: Dey Paul Indira , Das Madhusweta
Published: June 2019

Drying of fruit pulp into powder needs drying aids for achieving desirable powder properties. This article aims to optimize drying aids, such as maltodextrin (MD), tricalcium phosphate (TCP), and glycerol monostearate (GMS) in jamun (Syzygium cuminiL.) pulp blend formulation to produce microwave‐convective hot air‐dried jamun pulp powder. Response surface methodology using rotatable central composite design was followed with independent variables MD (1–15), TCP (0–2), and GMS (1–3), % dry basis of pulp, on hygroscopicity (HG), rate of moisture sorption estimated at 60 min (RMS60), flow time (FT), and overall color difference (ΔE*) as responses of the product. The statistically significant factors were: MD for HG; MD, TCP, and GMS for RMS60and FT; and TCP and GMS for ΔE*. The optimized formulation reduced HG, RMS60, and FT by 29.67, 45.24, and 60%, respectively with respect to the control, with ΔE* being 6.98.

Practical Applications

The antidiabetic and antioxidant properties of jamun (Syzygium cuminiL.) fruit are well established. The therapeutic values of jamun pulp and skin are mainly due to the presence of various phytochemicals. However, it is considered as underutilized fruit due to its highly perishable nature. Properly matured fruit can be stored for maximum 2 days at room temperature and 3 weeks at low temperature. Hence, immediate processing and conversion into value‐added products of jamun fruits are needed for better distribution and utilization during off‐season. Processing of fruit pulp into dry powder is a popular practice to obtain shelf‐stable product having wide scope of utilization. However, preparation of fruit powder has many challenges, the main problem being their stickiness due to the presence of low molecular weight sugars and organic acids. Therefore, production of stable free‐flowing jamun pulp powder with selection of suitable drying aids in proper concentration has enough industrial relevance.
Occurrence of zearalenone in corn meal commercialized in south region of Brazil and daily intake estimates in the Brazilian population
Authors: Pante Giseli C. , Silva Milena V. , Romoli Jéssica C. Z. , Rocha Gustavo H. O. , Bando Erika , Nerilo Samuel B. , Mossini Simone A. G. , Machinski Miguel
Published: June 2019

The purpose of this study was to assess the risk of zearalenone (ZEA) in corn meal produced and commercialized in State of Parana, Brazil. The extraction method carried out with a Romer Mycosep 226 column was found to be efficient due to addition of both diatomaceous earth and centrifuging during the cleaning step. From the total of 84 analyzed samples, 78.6% (n = 66) were found to be contaminated ZEA at levels between 15.4 and 72.1 μg/kg. This study was the first report on occurrence of positive samples for ZEA in corn meal commercialized in Parana since 2005. The estimated daily intake (EDI) of ZEA for the Brazilian population and for the State of Parana was 3.1 and 2.2 ng/kg bw/day, respectively. The EDI was below the tolerable daily intake of 250 ng/kg bw/day. Despite the low health risk of the population, it was observed that the occurrence of ZEA in corn meal was frequent, which demonstrates the importance of monitoring studies to ensure consumer's health.

Practical applications

Occurrence of zearalenone in corn meal was high (78.6%) in Brazil. First report on corn meal samples positive for zearalenone in Paraná, Brazil. No sample exceeded the tolerated limit by both Brazilian and European legislation. EDI due to corn meal consumption was inferior to TDI.
Establishing the First Geriatric Medicine Fellowship Program in Ghana
Authors: Essuman Akye , Gold Katherine J. , Vitale Caroline , Toma Ghazwan , Cigolle Christine , Gyakobo Mawuli , Spangenberg Kathryn , Odoi‐Agyarko Kwasi , Skye Eric , Zazove Philip ,   A Collaboration Between the University of Michigan and the Ghana College of Physicians and Surgeons
Published: June 2019

As life expectancy in Ghana improves, a large and growing population of older adults require healthcare. Despite governmental support for the care of older adults, there have been no geriatricians and no in‐country educational path for those desiring to become specialists in this field. In fact, 23 of 54 countries in sub‐Saharan Africa (SSA) lack even a single geriatrician. We describe a novel and collaborative approach used to develop the first geriatric training fellowship in Ghana. Faculty from the Ghana College of Physicians and Surgeons and the University of Michigan worked together to develop a rigorous and evidence‐based geriatrics curriculum, based on US standards but adapted to be appropriate for the cultural, economic, educational, and social norms in Ghana. This approach led to a strong training model for care of older adults while also strengthening the ongoing collaboration between the two partner universities in Ghana and the United States. The fellowship has been inaugurated in Ghana and can serve as a concrete educational model for other countries in SSA. J Am Geriatr Soc 67:1718–1723, 2019
Optimal preoperative autologous blood storage volume required in surgeries for placenta previas and low‐lying placentas
Authors: Sakai Ayumi , Matsunaga Shigetaka , Nakamura Eishin , Samejima Kouki , Ono Yoshihisa , Yamamoto Koji , Takai Yasushi , Maeda Hiroo , Seki Hiroyuki
Published: June 2019

Aim

The high rate of stored preoperative autologous blood wastage is concerning. This study analyzed patients who provided preoperative autologous blood donations (PABDs) for massive bleeding during surgery for placenta previas and low‐lying placentas, and investigated the optimal PABD storage volume required to avoid allogeneic transfusion.

Methods

Of 386 patients who provided PABDs at our hospital from 2008 to 2013, 269 patients with placenta previas or low‐lying placentas were retrospectively analyzed. The PABD storage volumes were stratified into four groups based on the amounts stored, and the allogeneic transfusion usage frequencies were compared.

Results

A total of 124 patients (46.1%) received PABDs and 12 patients (4.5%) received allogeneic transfusions. The average PABD volume wasted was 23 940 mL/year. The allogeneic transfusion utilization rate was significantly higher in the 1‐ to 300‐mL group (17.2%) than in the 301‐ to 600‐mL (1.69%), 601‐ to 900‐mL (3.82%), and 901‐ to 1200‐mL (0%) groups (P < 0.05). The PABD cut‐off volume for avoiding allogeneic blood transfusion was 300 mL, and the odds ratio for ≤300‐mL PABD in a multivariate analysis was 14.3 (95% confidence interval 1.3–149.3; P = 0.03). The maximum surgical blood order schedule was 2.16 units (432 mL), and the surgical blood order equation was 2.15 units (430 mL).

Conclusion

The allogeneic transfusion utilization rate did not differ between the 600‐mL group and the groups with higher PABD storage volumes; hence, storing 600 mL of PABD was appropriate for surgery for placenta previas and low‐lying placentas.
How Sweetness Plays Sweetly in Persuasion
Authors: Ahn Ahreem , Min Dongwon
Published: June 2019

Three experiments explored how sweetness metaphors affect individuals’ attitudes. The results indicated that sweetness metaphors led to positive responses to the target advertisement and the advertised product, both when the sweetness was actually experienced (Experiment 1) and when the sweetness experience was imagined (Experiment 2 and 3). In Experiment 1, participants who directly experienced a sweet taste evaluated a mineral water advertisement more positively than those who did not experience a sweet taste. Experiment 2 showed that an imagined sweet taste generated favorable attitudes toward the same targets as in Experiment 1. Results of Experiment 3, which used advertisements of various product categories, were similar to those of the previous two experiments, where both direct experience and mental imagination of sweetness were advantageous for forming favorable attitudes.
Honey bee waggle dance communication increases diversity of pollen diets in intensively managed agricultural landscapes
Authors: Nürnberger Fabian , Keller Alexander , Härtel Stephan , Steffan‐Dewenter Ingolf
Published: June 2019

The benefits of honey bee dance communication for colony performance in different resource environments are still not well understood. Here, we test the hypothesis that directional dance communication enables honey bee colonies to maintain a diverse pollen diet, especially in landscapes with low resource diversity. To test this hypothesis, we placed 24 Apis mellifera L. colonies with either intact or experimentally disrupted dance communication in eight agricultural landscapes that differed in the diversity of flowering plants and in the dominance of mass‐flowering crops. Pollen from incoming foragers was collected and identified via DNA metabarcoding. Disrupting dance communication affected the way the diversity of honey bee pollen diets was impacted by the dominance of mass‐flowering crops in available flower resources (p = .04). With increasing dominance of mass‐flowering crops in resource environments, foragers of colonies with intact communication foraged on an increasing proportion of available plant genera (p = .01). This was not the case for colonies with disrupted dance communication (p = .5). We conclude that the honey bee dance communication benefits pollen foraging on diverse plant resources and thereby contributes to high quality nutrition in environments with low‐resource diversity.
Does ownership of an end‐of‐life product affect design for environment?
Authors: Hosoda Eiji B.
Published: June 2019

Circulative use of resources is a crucial concept for a modern capitalist economy. Faced with peaking‐out of material resources and shortage of landfill capacity in the long run, human beings are required to promote efficient reuse and recycling of end‐of‐life products (ELPs). One of the methods to advance efficient reuse and recycling is rental or lease of products. Product service is also a similar idea. All these imply, in some sense, a change of ownership of a product and an ELP; ownership of an ELP as well as a product belongs to producers instead of households. It is often said that such a change of ownership promotes design for environment (DfE) or eco‐design, contributing to circulative use of resources. This paper examines whether ownership of an ELP affects DfE by means of à la Sraffian type of equilibrium model. I show that there are two routes to DfE, namely via a reduction of the amount of an ELP and enhancement of quality of a secondary material. I also show that DfE effects do not appear under certain conditions, even if the ownership of an ELP is transferred to producers.