bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Digital interventions to facilitate patient‐provider communication in cancer care: A systematic review
Authors: Hong Y. Alicia , Hossain Md Mahbub , Chou Wen‐Ying Sylvia
Published: December 2019

Objective

Patient‐provider communication is a critical component of cancer care. Digital tools have been applied to facilitate cancer care and patient‐provider communication. However, to date, there is no systematic review on this growing body of literature. The objective of this study is to identify the existing digital interventions to improve patient‐provider communication among cancer patients and survivors, summarize their characteristics, and synthesize the outcomes of these interventions.

Methods

We searched the databases of PubMed, CINAHL, and PsycINFO using Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta‐Analysis (PRISMA) guidelines with the following criteria: (a) empirical studies focusing on digital interventions to facilitate communication between cancer patients or survivors and their health care providers, (b) reporting qualitative or quantitative health outcomes of the cancer patients or survivors after the digital intervention, and (c) English articles published after 2000.

Results

The initial literature search generated 1006 articles; only 13 met the inclusion criteria. Most of the studies were conducted among breast, prostate, and lung cancer patients. Ten out of 13 studies used randomized controlled trials to evaluate intervention efficacy. The outcomes assessed included symptoms reporting and management, decision making, distress and quality of life, and utilization of health care. Most studies reported positive outcomes following the interventions.

Conclusions

The existing evidence on the number, characteristics, and outcomes of digital interventions to improve patient‐provider communication suggests the preliminary efficacy of such interventions. It is essential to develop and implement more evidence‐based digital interventions to engage patients, enhance patient‐provider communication, and facilitate patient‐centered decision making to improve patient‐centered health outcomes, especially in underserved communities of cancer patients and survivors.
Therapies that are available and under development for Duchenne muscular dystrophy: What about lung function?
Authors: Gogou Maria , Pavlou Evangelos , Haidopoulou Katerina
Published: December 2019

Background

Respiratory failure is the principal source of morbidity and mortality among patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy exerting a negative influence on their total quality of life. The aim of this review is to provide systematically current literature evidence about the effects of different treatment options (available or under development) for Duchenne muscular dystrophy on the pulmonary function of these patients.

Methods

A comprehensive search was undertaken using multiple health‐related databases, while two independent reviewers assessed the eligibility of studies. A third person addressed any disagreements between reviewers. The quality of the methodology of the included studies was also assessed.

Results

A total of 19 original research papers (nine evaluating the role of steroids, six idebenone, three eteplirsen, one stem‐cell therapy, and one ataluren) were found to fulfill our selection criteria with the majority of them (14 of 19) being prospective studies, not always including a control group. Endpoints mainly used in these studies were values of pulmonary function tests. Current and under development treatments proved to be safe and no significant adverse events were reported. A beneficial impact on pulmonary function was described by authors in the majority of these studies. The principal effect was slowing of lung disease progress, as expressed by spirometric values. However, the risk of bias was introduced in many of the above studies, while high heterogeneity in terms of treatment protocols and outcome measures limits the comparability of the results.

Conclusion

Glucocorticoids remain the best‐studied pharmacologic therapy for Duchenne muscular dystrophy and very likely delay the expected decline in lung function. With regard to new therapeutic agents, initial study results are encouraging. However, larger clinical trials are needed that minimize the risk of study bias, optimize the comparability of treatment groups, examine clinically meaningful pulmonary outcome measures, and include long‐term follow up.
Self‐Assembly of Well‐Separated AlN Nanowires Directly on Sputtered Metallic TiN Films
Authors: Azadmand Mani , Auzelle Thomas , Lähnemann Jonas , Gao Guanhui , Nicolai Lars , Ramsteiner Manfred , Trampert Achim , Sanguinetti Stefano , Brandt Oliver , Geelhaar Lutz
Published: December 2019

Herein, the self‐assembled formation of AlN nanowires (NWs) by molecular beam epitaxy on sputtered TiN films on sapphire is demonstrated. This choice of substrate allows growth at an exceptionally high temperature of 1180 °C. In contrast to previous reports, the NWs are well separated and do not suffer from pronounced coalescence. This achievement is explained by sufficient Al adatom diffusion on the substrate and the NW sidewalls. The high crystalline quality of the NWs is evidenced by the observation of near‐band‐edge emission in the cathodoluminescence spectrum. The key factor for the low NW coalescence is the TiN film, which spectroscopic ellipsometry and Raman spectroscopy indicate to be stoichiometric. Its metallic nature will be beneficial for optoelectronic devices using these NWs as the basis for (Al,Ga)N/AlN heterostructures emitting in the deep ultraviolet spectral range.
The first case of micropapillary adenocarcinoma associated with cystic airspace in a non‐smoking man
Authors: Takahashi Saeko , Murata Saori , Seki Reishi , Kuriyama Shoji , Kaji Masahiro , Nakamura Morio
Published: December 2019

Lung cancers associated with cystic airspaces are attracting increasing attention because of delayed diagnosis. The cancers that usually occur in smokers comprise lepidic, papillary, and/or acinar adenocarcinoma, but a micropapillary type has not been described to date. Pulmonary micropapillary adenocarcinoma was added to the 2015 World Health Organization (WHO) classification system as a new subtype with a notably poor prognosis. We describe the first micropapillary adenocarcinoma of the lung associated with cystic airspaces in a 79‐year‐old non‐smoking man.
Hydroxylapatite-collagen hybrid scaffold induces human adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells to osteogenic differentiation in vitro and bone regrowth in patients
Authors: Mazzoni Elisa , D'Agostino Antonio , Iaquinta Maria Rosa , Bononi Ilaria , Trevisiol Lorenzo , Rotondo John Charles , Patergnani Simone , Giorgi Carlotta , Gunson Michael J. , Arnett G. William , Nocini Pier Francesco , Tognon Mauro , Martini Fernanda
Published: December 2019

Tissue engineering-based bone graft is an emerging viable treatment modality to repair and regenerate tissues damaged as a result of diseases or injuries. The structure and composition of scaffolds should modulate the classical osteogenic pathways in human stem cells. The osteoinductivity properties of the hydroxylapatite-collagen hybrid scaffold named Coll/Pro Osteon 200 were investigated in an in vitro model of human adipose mesenchymal stem cells (hASCs), whereas the clinical evaluation was carried out in maxillofacial patients. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) induced by the scaffold were analyzed using the Osteogenesis RT2 PCR Array. The osteoinductivity potential of the scaffold was also investigated by studying the alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity, matrix mineralization, osteocalcin (OCN), and CLEC3B expression protein. Fifty patients who underwent zygomatic augmentation and bimaxillary osteotomy were evaluated clinically, radiologically, and histologically during a 3-year follow-up. Among DEGs, osteogenesis-related genes, including BMP1/2, ALP, BGLAP, SP7, RUNX2, SPP1, and EGFR, which play important roles in osteogenesis, were found to be upregulated. The genes to cartilage condensation SOX9, BMPR1B, and osteoclast cells TNFSF11 were detected upregulated at every time point of the investigation. This scaffold has a high osteoinductivity revealed by the matrix mineralization, ALP activity, OCN, and CLEC3B expression proteins. Clinical evaluation evidences that the biomaterial promotes bone regrowth. Histological results of biopsy specimens from patients showed prominent ossification. Experimental data using the Coll/Pro Osteon 200 indicate that clinical evaluation of bone regrowth in patients, after scaffold implantation, was supported by DEGs implicated in skeletal development as shown in “in vitro” experiments with hASCs.

Significance statement Bone regrowth can be achieved using different scaffolds. Biomaterials provide structural and biological cues to stem cells to stimulate the osteogenic differentiation. The new knowledge on the mechanisms of bone repair is of paramount importance to address significant steps needed in translational and precise medicine to cure patients. The hybrid scaffold Pro Osteon200/Avitene Collagen showed a significant osteogenic induction. The continuous supply of human adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells for bone regrowth/remodeling, chondrogenic, and osteoclast activities with their epigenetic modulations have been disclosed herein. The new data of this study indicate that the continuous expression of osteogenic, osteoclastic, and chondrogenic genes favors bone regrowth.
Understanding Everyday Life: Generic Social Processes and the Pursuit of Transcontextuality
Authors: Grills Scott
Published: December 2019

This paper joins earlier interactionist projects in advocating for an analytical attentiveness to generic social process (GSP). This dynamic form of theorizing is indebted to the thought of Herbert Blumer and the extended phenomenological and pragmatist traditions. Rather centrally, the study of GSPs draws upon the foundational concepts of duration, intersubjectivity, and the self. Such concepts have contributed to some of symbolic interactionism's most enduring, empirically grounded and theoretically robust work. Drawing on a series of ethnographic research projects, this paper offers a research agenda for engaging GSPs transcontextually. Specifically, I argue for extending the study of GSPs through the examination of management in everyday life, the creation of subcultural value, and the social construction of doubt.
Transition‐Metal‐Free Activation of Amides by N−C Bond Cleavage
Authors: Li Guangchen , Szostak Michal
Published: December 2019

The amide bond N−C activation represents a powerful strategy in organic synthesis to functionalize the historically inert amide linkage. This personal account highlights recent remarkable advances in transition‐metal‐free activation of amides by N−C bond cleavage, focusing on both (1) mechanistic aspects of ground‐state‐destabilization of the amide bond enabling formation of tetrahedral intermediates directly from amides with unprecedented selectivity, and (2) synthetic utility of the developed transformations. Direct nucleophilic addition to amides enables a myriad of powerful methods for the formation of C−C, C−N, C−O and C−S bonds, providing a straightforward and more synthetically useful alternative to acyl‐metals.
Metallacycle Transfer and its Link to Light‐Emitting Materials and Conjugated Polymers
Authors: Rivard Eric
Published: December 2019

Major advances in optoelectronic technologies (e. g., solar cells, organic light‐emitting diodes, etc…) are prefaced by the discovery of new synthetic methodologies. In this review, the key role of the Fagan‐Nugent reaction in enabling our team (and others) to gain access to new building blocks for luminescent materials and conjugated polymers bearing p‐block elements will be described. The Fagan‐Nugent reaction is extremely powerful as a synthetic tool since the efficient zirconium‐element atom exchange involved affords a wide range of unsaturated inorganic heterocycles of controllable composition and function.
Polyethylene/TiO2 Medical Tube with Comprehensive Mechanical Performances via Bio‐Mimic Multiscale Helical Structures
Authors: Pi Lin , Shi Yan , Nie Min , Li Yijun
Published: December 2019

Microtubes with superior mechanical properties are highly desired in modern medical applications due to its convenience in drug delivery and micro invasive surgery. However, poor kink resistance is still a changeling issues because the high axial orientation is inevitable in conventional tube processing procedure. Herein, with combination of rotation extrusion technology and antibacterial titanium dioxide (TiO2) fibers, a bio‐mimic helical structure consisting of molecular chains, shish kebabs, and fibrous TiO2 was successfully manipulated. With assistance of helical structure, kink resistance was enhanced without sacrifice the flexibility. The hoop twist strength reached 15.7 MPa, 45% higher than the conventional ones, while axial compressive strength decreased from 9.4 to 7.9 MPa, exhibiting good flexibility. Moreover, further structural analysis demonstrated that the deviated molecular chains and shish kebabs played a predominating role in enhancing kink resistance of the PE tubes rather than rigid TiO2 fibers, which could provide more theoretical and experimental fundament for design of future medical tubes.
Clinical and genetic correlates of islet-autoimmune signatures in juvenile-onset type 1 diabetes
Authors: Claessens Laura A. , Wesselius Joris , van Lummel Menno , Laban Sandra , Mulder Flip , Mul Dick , Nikolic Tanja , Aanstoot Henk-Jan , Koeleman Bobby P. C. , Roep Bart O.
Published: December 2019

Aims/hypothesis

Heterogeneity in individuals with type 1 diabetes has become more generally appreciated, but has not yet been extensively and systematically characterised. Here, we aimed to characterise type 1 diabetes heterogeneity by creating immunological, genetic and clinical profiles for individuals with juvenile-onset type 1 diabetes in a cross-sectional study.

Methods

Participants were HLA-genotyped to determine HLA-DR-DQ risk, and SNP-genotyped to generate a non-HLA genetic risk score (GRS) based on 93 type 1 diabetes-associated SNP variants outside the MHC region. Islet autoimmunity was assessed as T cell proliferation upon stimulation with the beta cell antigens GAD65, islet antigen-2 (IA-2), preproinsulin (PPI) and defective ribosomal product of the insulin gene (INS-DRIP). Clinical parameters were collected retrospectively.

Results

Of 80 individuals, 67 had proliferation responses to one or more islet antigens, with vast differences in the extent of proliferation. Based on the multitude and amplitude of the proliferation responses, individuals were clustered into non-, intermediate and high responders. High responders could not be characterised entirely by enrichment for the highest risk HLA-DR3-DQ2/DR4-DQ8 genotype. However, high responders did have a significantly higher non-HLA GRS. Clinically, high T cell responses to beta cell antigens did not reflect in worsened glycaemic control, increased complications, development of associated autoimmunity or younger age at disease onset. The number of beta cell antigens that an individual responded to increased with disease duration, pointing to chronic islet autoimmunity and epitope spreading.

Conclusions/interpretation

Collectively, these data provide new insights into type 1 diabetes disease heterogeneity and highlight the importance of stratifying patients on the basis of their genetic and autoimmune signatures for immunotherapy and personalised disease management.
Invasiveness and Metastatic Aggressiveness in Small Differentiated Thyroid Cancers: Demography of Small Papillary Thyroid Carcinomas in the Swedish Population
Authors: Bayadsi Haytham , Bergman Martin , Sund Malin , Hennings Joakim
Published: December 2019

Background

The western world is seeing a rising incidence of thyroid cancer. Improved diagnostic methods do not entirely explain this increase. Papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) is the most common subtype of thyroid cancer. Small PTC (≤20 mm) and especially papillary thyroid microcarcinomas (PTMC ≤10 mm) are considered to be low‐risk tumors but some cases are considerably more aggressive. Sufficient understanding of these mechanisms is a long‐term goal for more efficient and safer treatment of these tumors.

Methods

We identified 959 cases of small PTCs in the validated Scandinavian Quality Register for Thyroid, Parathyroid and Adrenal Surgery, grouped according to lymph node metastasis. These were analyzed according to age, gender, tumor size and geographic region.

Results

Patients with N1b disease (lateral lymph nodes metastases) had a smaller tumor size compared to patients with N1a disease (8.6 mm vs 10.1 mm respectively, p < 0.05). Patients and specifically females with N1b disease were younger than those with N0 or N1a disease. Patients with N1b disease had a lower proportion of females (60%) compared to N0 and N1a groups (81% and 78%, respectively). The incidence of operated small PTCs and of lymph node engagement differs between geographic regions in Sweden.

Conclusions

Small PTC and especially PTMC seem to show different patterns of aggressiveness and demography regarding lateral lymph node metastases and 7% had N1b disease and tumor <1 cm, underscoring the importance of lymph node evaluation in PTMC patients. More understanding of predictive factors, mechanisms for metastatic disease and causes of regional differences, is needed.
Protein energy wasting; what is it and what can we do to prevent it?
Authors: Rees Lesley
Published: December 2019

Some children with declining height and BMI SDS fail to respond to optimisation of nutritional intake. As well as poor growth, they have muscle wasting and relative preservation of body fat. This is termed protein energy wasting (PEW). The process results from an interaction of chronic inflammation alongside poor nutritional intake. This review discusses the causes and potential preventative therapies for PEW.
Autonomes Demand Side Management verteilter Energiespeicher
Authors: Kepplinger Peter , Fässler Bernhard , Huber Gerhard , Ireshika Muhandiram Arachchige Subodha Thara , Rheinberger Klaus , Preißinger Markus
Published: December 2019

Verbraucherseitige Laststeuerung (Demand Side Management – DSM) wird als ein möglicher Ansatz betrachtet, um die Auswirkungen des Ausbaus von fluktuierenden Erneuerbaren im Stromnetz auszugleichen. Sollen viele verteilte Energiesysteme damit angesprochen werden, stellen zentralistische Ansätze dabei hohe Anforderungen an die Kommunikationsinfrastruktur. Als Alternative wird vielfach eine autonome Laststeuerung (ADSM) mit anreizbasierter Optimierung direkt auf dem Verbrauchergerät betrachtet. Dabei kann die Anreizfunktion mittels unidirektionaler Kommunikation übertragen werden.

Am Forschungszentrum Energie der Fachhochschule Vorarlberg wurden in den letzten Jahren Algorithmen und Prototypen für den Einsatz von ADSM auf verschiedensten verteilten Energiespeichern im elektrischen Stromnetz entwickelt. Dabei werden sowohl thermische Energiespeicher (z. B. Haushalts-Warmwasserspeicher) als auch elektrochemische Speicher (z. B. Batteriespeichersysteme oder Elektroautos) betrachtet. Außerdem werden die Auswirkungen solcher Systeme auf das elektrische Verteilnetz untersucht. Dieser Artikel gibt einen Überblick über die entwickelten Methoden und Ergebnisse aus diesem Forschungsfeld mit dem Ziel, ein weitreichendes Verständnis für die Chancen und Grenzen des ADSM zu schaffen.
Uncertainty of volume fraction in bimrock using the scan-line method and its application in the estimation of deformability parameters
Authors: Lu Yu-Chen , Tien Yong-Ming , Juang Charng Hsein , Lin Jeen-Shang
Published: December 2019

The volume fraction within a bimrock or bimsoil is an essential parameter that is useful for estimating the engineering properties of heterogeneous geomaterials. This paper presents analytical and numerical solutions to quantify the uncertainty of volume fraction measurements in bimrock/bimsoil using a scan-line method. The analytical solutions for the mean and variance of volume fraction estimates are based on a representative volume element model. The numerical solution is obtained through simulations of scan-line measurements. This work also employs physical tests using CT scan images from artificial bimrock/bimsoil to validate these solutions. The results demonstrate that the uncertainties of the volume fraction depend on the magnitude of the volume fraction of the blocks, the diameter of the blocks, and the length of the scan line. The proposed analytical and numerical solutions are compared with existing physical experimental tests and analytical solutions. An illustrative example to demonstrate the estimation of the uncertainty of volume fraction using the scan-line measurement is present. Finally, an example application of the volume fraction characterization in the geological engineering, in terms of Young’s modulus estimation and characterization, is provided.
Rigour and Intuition
Authors: Tatton-Brown Oliver
Published: December 2019

This paper sketches an account of the standard of acceptable proof in mathematics—rigour—arguing that the key requirement of rigour in mathematics is that nontrivial inferences be provable in greater detail. This account is contrasted with a recent perspective put forward by De Toffoli and Giardino, who base their claims on a case study of an argument from knot theory. I argue that De Toffoli and Giardino’s conclusions are not supported by the case study they present, which instead is a very good illustration of the kind of view of proof defended here.
Correction to: Semi-supervised Ladder Networks for Speech Emotion Recognition
Authors: Tao Jian-Hua , Huang Jian , Li Ya , Lian Zheng , Niu Ming-Yue
Published: December 2019

The article Semi-supervised Ladder Networks for Speech Emotion Recognition written by Jian-Hua Tao, Jian Huang, Ya Li, Zheng Lian and Ming-Yue Niu, was originally published on vol. 16, no. 4 of International Journal of Automation and Computing without Open Access. After publication, the authors decided to opt for Open Choice and to make the article an Open Access publication. Therefore, the copyright of the article has been changed to © The Author(s) 2019 and the article is forthwith distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits use, duplication, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license, and indicate if changes were made.
Without insight accompanied with deteriorated brain functional alterations in healthy individuals with auditory verbal hallucinations: a pilot study
Authors: Zhuo Chuanjun , Ji Feng , Lin Xiaodong , Tian Hongjun , Wang Lina , Liu Sha , Sang Hong , Wang Wenqiang , Chen Chunmian
Published: December 2019

Few studies have reported on brain functional differences between healthy individuals with auditory verbal hallucinations (Hi-AVH) with and without insight, so we designed a study to address this knowledge gap. We enrolled 12 Hi-AVH with insight, 15 Hi-AVH without insight, and 15 AVH-free controls (Healthy controls). Global functional connectivity density (gFCD) mapping was used to estimate brain networks. We found that the most common alterations in both Hi-AVH groups were increased gFCD in superior parietal lobule and superior temporal gyrus. We also found that distinct brain functional patterns of Hi-AVH without insight comprised lower gFCD in the frontal lobe oculomotor area, dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, supramarginal gyrus, primary auditory cortex, sensorimotor cortex, ventral anterior, and posterior cingulate Our pilot findings support the hypothesis that abnormal reciprocal action in the circuits for processing perception, memory, language, and attentional control may be pathological features of auditory verbal hallucinations.
Liver organoids reproduce alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency-related liver disease
Authors: Gómez-Mariano Gema , Matamala Nerea , Martínez Selene , Justo Iago , Marcacuzco Alberto , Jimenez Carlos , Monzón Sara , Cuesta Isabel , Garfia Cristina , Martínez María Teresa , Huch Meritxell , Pérez de Castro Ignacio , Posada Manuel , Janciauskiene Sabina , Martínez-Delgado Beatriz
Published: December 2019

Background and aims

Alpha-1 antitrypsin (AAT) is a product of SERPINA1 gene mainly expressed by hepatocytes. Clinically relevant mutations in the SERPINA1 gene, such as Z (Glu342Lys), results in an expression of misfolded AAT protein having high propensity to polymerize, accumulate in hepatocytes and thus to enhance a risk for hepatocyte damage and subsequent liver disease. So far, the relationship between the Z-AAT accumulation and liver cell damage remains not completely understood. We present three-dimensional organoid culture systems, as a novel tool for modeling Z-AAT-related liver diseases.

Methods

We have established liver organoids from liver biopsies of patients with homozygous (ZZ) and heterozygous (MZ) deficiency and normal (MM) genotypes of AAT. The features of these organoid models were characterized by analyzing AAT protein secretion and intracellular aggregation in MZ and ZZ genotypes as well as SERPINA1 expression in differentiated cultures.

Results

Transcriptional analysis of differentiated organoid cultures by RNA-Seq showed hepatocyte-specific gene expression profile. Genes, such as ALB, APOB, CYP3A4 and SERPINA1, were validated and confirmed through quantitative-PCR analysis. The organoids from MZ and ZZ cases showed intracellular aggregation and lower secretion of AAT protein, and lower expression of ALB and APOB, as typically seen in hepatocytes from Z-AAT deficiency patients. Furthermore, organoids responded to external stimulus. Treatment with oncostatin M, a well-known inducer of SERPINA1, increased expression of the full-length transcripts (AAT-1C) as well as the short transcript of AAT (AAT-ST1C4).

Conclusions

Liver organoid model recapitulates the key features of Z-AAT deficiency and provides a useful tool for disease modeling.
Understanding ‘Successful Practice/s’ with Parents with Learning Difficulties when there are Concerns about Child Neglect: the Contribution of Social Practice Theory
Authors: Tarleton Beth , Turney Danielle
Published: December 2019

Social practice theory (SPT) investigates how meanings (socially available understandings/attitudes) work together with competences and materials/resources to develop shared (social) practices. SPT was used as a theoretical and analytical framework in a study which investigated ‘successful’ professional practices when working with parents with learning difficulties where there are concerns about child neglect. The research took place in three local authorities (LAs) in England that were recommended as sites of ‘successful’ practice. With the parents’ agreement, 38 professionals who worked with the eight participating families were asked about their ideas about parents with learning difficulties and neglect, their understanding of ‘successful’ practice, their experience and knowledge of working with this group of parents, how they worked with the parent and other professionals involved with the parent, as well as the resources available to them. Detailed case studies of the support provided to eight mothers were developed. It was found that the professionals shared a range of attitudes and understandings, including awareness of the many barriers faced by this disadvantaged group of parents, and that the neglect was typically linked to lack of understanding/knowledge about the child’s needs which could in many cases be mitigated through provision of support. The meanings they shared promoted an empowering, relationship-based, multi-agency approach to parents which recognised their need for support while also focusing on the needs and welfare of the children. This positive approach accords with the call for longer-term/recurrent support to be available for parents with learning difficulties alongside the development of a social model of child protection that rethinks how best to safeguard vulnerable children.
A Curriculum Design and Teaching Experience Created by and for Bioscience Postdoctoral Fellows in a Medical School
Authors: Nuebel Esther , Nowinski Sara M , Hemmis Casey W , Lindsley Janet E
Published: December 2019

Many medical school postdoctoral fellows (postdocs) lack training in curriculum design and student-centered instruction. A team of bioscience postdocs and a medical school curriculum assistant dean co-created an experience to fill this gap. Kern’s and Kirkpatrick’s frameworks were used for the design and evaluation, respectively, of both the postdoc experience and the undergraduate course they developed. Postdocs taught the course using student-centered methods, especially team-based learning and Just-in-Time Teaching. Following a successful pilot phase, this low resource postdoc experience and undergraduate course are regularly offered. Participating postdocs develop the knowledge, skills, and attitudes to effectively participate in medical school education.
When Violins Fell Silent: Archaeological Traces of Mass Executions of Romani People in Slovenia
Authors: Košir Uroš
Published: December 2019

The archaeology of genocide, war crimes, and mass death has become a growing sub-discipline in recent decades, with the most attention given to the locations of National Socialist ‘terror and mass death’. Within genocide research, theporajmos,or genocide of Romani people, is not a well-known topic, especially in Slovenia. Contrary to popular belief, the mistreatment of Romani and violence against them was not inflicted only by the Nazis and their allies, but by pro-communist-orientated Slovenian partisans as well. Archaeological traces of three mass executions have provided us with evidence of serious and poignant crimes committed against the Romani ethnic minority. The remains might have a significant role in determining whether these crimes are a part ofporajmosor not and represent a unique material testimony of crimes against the Romani population in the Slovenian and the wider European context.
Strafford's ‘spirit’ at the royalist court: Sir George Radcliffe and Irish affairs, 1643–5
Authors: Pogson Fiona
Published: December 2019

This article examines how the handling of Irish affairs at the civil-war court was observed, commented upon, and probably influenced, by a man who had been at the heart of Irish government during the previous decade. It argues that the presence of Sir George Radcliffe, arguably Thomas Wentworth, earl of Strafford's closest advisor, at the royalist court in Oxford was significant in a number of respects. His surviving correspondence reveals the extent to which he was able to advise and support the newly-appointed lord lieutenant of Ireland, the marquis of Ormond. His letters also cast light on the politics of the civil-war court, in particular on how he, as an essentially second-level figure, worked flexibly with both secretaries of state. This article argues that Radcliffe's discussions with secretary of state, George Lord Digby, provided an important means by which Strafford's influence could make itself felt at the Oxford court, particularly during the 1644 negotiations with the Confederate commissioners. The pursuit of forceful, contentious policies by the former Irish administration and its contemptuous attitude towards critics, however, ensured that Radcliffe's presence at Oxford was probably unwelcome to many at court and failed to advance his career.
Reading the riot commission: Belfast, 1857
Authors: Morris R. J.
Published: December 2019

The year 1857 saw the first of the great riot commissions which provided much source material for Belfast history. It should be read as a continuation of the street conflict of that summer. Careful reading shows the skill with which the weak Catholic/Liberal alliance of the city managed the flow of witnesses and the naiveté of the Orange/Protestant lawyers. The Catholic/Liberal side ‘won’ the inquiry, achieving their aim of convincing the Dublin government that the local police force was ineffective if not sectarian and that Orange Order culture and evangelical street preaching was responsible for the disorder. Practical outcomes were limited. Resources were limited due to demands in other parts of Ireland and the process of taking first-class troops from Ireland to deal with the Indian mutiny. Considered in light of theories of ‘civil society’, the court was a means of countering the imperfections of representative government. Considered in the context of Ireland as a whole, events demonstrated the weakness of the Dublin authorities, their ignorance of Belfast and the importance of the resident magistrate. Much was concealed from the inquiry. The following months revealed evidence of an active Ribbon-style organisation, and the animosity of the local police and the constabulary. Attention to working class sectarianism diverted attention from elite failure to manage the class relationships of a fractured civil society.
Giving life and limb for empire: gender and occupational health in industrial Belfast, 1870–1914
Authors: Purdue Simon
Published: December 2019

This article explores the myriad of health hazards and dangers faced by industrial workers in Belfast between 1870 and 1914, as well as the efforts made by reformers and legislators to protect them. The article uses a variety of official sources to demonstrate the varying and distinctly gendered experience of men, women, and children working in the factories, mills, and shipyards of the city, as well as the gendered nature of the legislation put in place in this period. The article argues that the societal norms and expectations that informed legislation contributed to the gender gap that emerged in protective legislation. Female workers were seen in the same category as children and were protected paternalistically by a state still grappling with the changing position of women in an industrialising society, while men were expected to face ‘bravely’ the dangers of industrial work with little or no state intervention.
Presbyterianism, unionism, and the Second World War in Northern Ireland: the career of James Little, 1939–46
Authors: Houston Matthew
Published: December 2019

This article examines the career of the Irish Presbyterian minister and member of the Westminster parliament, James Little, as a case study of Presbyterian clerical responses to the Second World War in Northern Ireland. Establishing a more detailed narrative of contemporary interpretations of the conflict improves our understanding of the functions of religious institutions during the period. It demonstrates that Presbyterian church leaders were largely enthusiastic supporters of the war, employing theological language while promoting the agenda of unionist politics. By juxtaposing clerical politico-religious support for the war with their commitment to conservative moral standards, the article assesses the strength with which these views were held, thereby adding to our knowledge of Presbyterianism in the 1940s. The article also situates the Northern Ireland Presbyterian view of the war within the context of the United Kingdom.
Sociability, radium and the maintenance of scientific culture and authority in twentieth-century Ireland: a case study of the Royal Dublin Society
Authors: KIRWAN ADRIAN
Published: December 2019

This article, through a case study of the Royal Dublin Society (RDS), traces the reception, experimentation with, and uses of radium in early twentieth-century Ireland. Throughout the nineteenth century there was increasing state intervention in the provision of scientific and technical education in Ireland. This culminated in the loss of the RDS's traditional role in this area. The article demonstrates that the RDS was forced to re-envisage its role as a scientific institution by actively seeking to support experimental research. Using radium as a case study, the article argues for the success of this tactic. It demonstrates that radium played a central role within the RDS as a nexus for the maintenance of an experimental and philanthropic culture that permeated much of the society's scientific output in this period. In doing this it highlights the importance of sociability in the promotion of science in Ireland in the early twentieth century. In addition, it explores the role of the RDS as an arbiter of scientific authority.
(A)Political Constituency Development Funds: Evidence from Pakistan
Authors: Malik Rabia
Published: December 2019

Most of the distributive politics literature focuses on how incumbent politicians allocate development resources in the absence of spending rules, and on the politicization of rules when they do determine distribution. What is less clear is whether politically neutral spending rules lead to neutral spending. Using new data on a long-running federal development fund and elections from Pakistan in a regression discontinuity design, the author presents strong evidence that the ruling party manipulated fund distribution to disproportionately benefit its co-partisans and punish the weakest opposition. Considering various factors, partisan bias is the most plausible explanation. These findings are important not only because the purpose of rules-based funds is to prevent politicized distribution but also because they have implications for development patterns and for using such funds to address questions about legislator effort and patronage patterns within constituencies, which requires assuming that legislators do receive their share of funds in the first place.
Consanguineous marriages among AndalusianGitanos/Calé: a genealogical analysis (1925–2006)
Authors: Gamella Juan F.
Published: December 2019

Using data from the family and genealogical reconstitutions of theGitanopopulation of 22 contiguous localities in eastern Andalusia, Spain, this study analysed the intensity, structure and historical evolution of consanguinity in 3056 couples formed from 1925 to 2006. Of these unions, 54.8% were consanguineous, and 28.7% involved relatives up to and including second cousins, resulting in a mean coefficient of inbreeding up to the third degreeα3= 12.4 × 10−3. The rest of the consanguineous unions (26.1% of all) involved more-distant relatives, such as third cousins, fourth cousins and so forth. When all consanguinity degrees found in the genealogical reconstitution were considered, the total mean coefficient of inbreeding wasαt= 14.8 × 10−3. The merging of families and pedigrees generated a complex genealogical network with many inbreeding loops and important founder effects. This network revealed a high rate (62%) of Multiple Consanguineous Marriages (MCMs) in which second and subsequent consanguineous ties increased inbreeding levels by a fifth (20.5%). The accumulation of multiple degrees of distant relatedness, many of which had little social or biological importance, has contributed to a significant increase in inbreeding rates. AmongGitanopeople, intra-family marriages have remained common in the last decades, in sharp contrast to other Spanish populations. Hence the highest rates of close consanguinity (34%) and inbreeding (α3= 14.6 × 10−3) were found in the 1960s, the decade that saw the onset of Spain’s socioeconomic modernization, internationalization and massive migration. These are among the highest rates of inbreeding found in any European population, including the most endogamous Spanish isolates. They reveal marriage strategies not constrained primarily by geographical barriers, but by ethnocultural separation. Interestingly, in recent decades mixed marriages have been increasing rapidly in this minority, although they are compatible with high rates of consanguinity.Gitanosecular endogamy is breaking up, but not uniformly.
Social reinforcement learning as a predictor of real-life experiences in individuals with high and low depressive symptomatology
Authors: Frey Anna-Lena , Frank Michael J. , McCabe Ciara
Published: December 2019

Background

Several studies have reported diminished learning from non-social outcomes in depressed individuals. However, it is not clear how depression impacts learning from social feedback. Notably, mood disorders are commonly associated with deficits in social functioning, which raises the possibility that potential impairments in social learning may negatively affect real-life social experiences in depressed subjects.

Methods

Ninety-two participants with high (HD; N = 40) and low (LD; N = 52) depression scores were recruited. Subjects performed a learning task, during which they received monetary outcomes or social feedback which they were told came from other people. Additionally, participants answered questions about their everyday social experiences. Computational models were fit to the data and model parameters were related to social experience measures.

Results

HD subjects reported a reduced quality and quantity of social experiences compared to LD controls, including an increase in the amount of time spent in negative social situations. Moreover, HD participants showed lower learning rates than LD subjects in the social condition of the task. Interestingly, across all participants, reduced social learning rates predicted higher amounts of time spent in negative social situations, even when depression scores were controlled for.

Conclusion

These findings indicate that deficits in social learning may affect the quality of everyday social experiences. Specifically, the impaired ability to use social feedback to appropriately update future actions, which was observed in HD subjects, may lead to suboptimal interpersonal behavior in real life. This, in turn, may evoke negative feedback from others, thus bringing about more unpleasant social encounters.
Choice and quality in home-based and community-based aged care: insights from two rapid evidence reviews
Authors: Hunter Nicholas J. R. , Wells Yvonne , Clune Samantha J. , Ayala Quintanilla Beatriz P. , Johnstone Erica
Published: December 2019

As consumer-directed care programmes become increasingly common in aged care provision, there is a heightened requirement for literature summarising the experience and perspectives of recipients. We conducted rapid evidence reviews on two components of consumer experience of home- and community-based aged care: (a) drivers of choice when looking for a service (Question 1 (Q1)); and (b) perceptions of quality of services (Question 2 (Q2)). We systematically searched MEDLINE and EMBASE databases, and conducted manual (non-systematic) searches of primary and grey literature (e.g. government reports) across CINAHL, Scopus, PsychINFO, and Web of Science, Trove and OpenGrey databases. Articles deemed eligible after abstract/full-text screening subsequently underwent risk-of-bias assessment to ensure their quality. The final included studies (Q1: N = 21; Q2: N = 19) comprised both quantitative and qualitative articles, which highlighted that consumer choices of services are driven by a combination of: desire for flexibility in service provision; optimising mobility; need for personal assistance, security and safety, interaction, and social/leisure activities; and to target and address previously unmet needs. Similarly, consumer perspectives of quality include control and autonomy, interpersonal interactions, flexibility of choice, and safety and affordability. Our reviews suggest that future model development should take into account consumers’ freedom to choose services in a flexible manner, and the value they place on interpersonal relationships and social interaction.
Stent treatment of ostial branch pulmonary artery stenosis: initial and medium-term outcomes and technical considerations to avoid and minimise stent malposition
Authors: Patel Neil D. , Sullivan Patrick M. , Takao Cheryl M. , Badran Sarah , Ing Frank F.
Published: December 2019

Objective:

Stenting of ostial pulmonary artery stenosis presents several unique challenges. These include difficulty in defining anatomy and need for precise stent placement in order to avoid missing the ostial stenosis or jailing either the contralateral branch pulmonary artery or the ipsilateral upper lobe branch.

Design:

A retrospective review of outcomes was conducted in 1.5 or 2-ventricle patients who underwent stent placement for ostial branch pulmonary artery stenosis. Specific catheterisation lab techniques were reviewed.

Results:

Forty-seven branch pulmonary arteries underwent stent placement for ostial stenosis in 43 patients. The median age and weight were 3.7 (0.3–18.1) years and 14.2 (5.6–70.0) kg, respectively. Three (2–8) angiographic projections were needed to profile the ostial stenosis. Open-cell stents were used in 23 and stents were modified in 5 cases. Following stent implantation, the minimum diameter improved from 3.6 (0.8–10.5) to 8.1 (4.2–16.5) mm (p < 0.001). The gradient improved from 21 (0–66) to 4 (0–27) mmHg (p < 0.001). Stent malposition occurred in eight (17%) of the stents placed. Five migrated distally causing suboptimal ostial coverage necessitating placement of a second stent in four. Three migrated proximally and partially jailed the contralateral pulmonary artery. Intentional jailing of the upper lobe branch occurred in four additional cases. At a follow-up of 2.4 (0.3–4.9) years, 15 stents underwent further dilation and 1 had a second stent placed within the exiting stent.

Conclusion:

Ostial branch pulmonary artery stenosis may require additional angiography to accurately define the ostial stenosis. Treatment with stents is effective but carries high rates of stent malposition.
The law and ethics of ‘cultural appropriation’
Authors: Siems Mathias
Published: December 2019

Cultural appropriation is often defined as the ‘taking of intellectual property, cultural expressions or artefacts, history, and ways of knowledge’. Despite this apparent link to intellectual property, legal issues are only rarely mentioned in the current debate. Thus, to start with, this paper aims to fill this gap in identifying the possible bases in existing laws that may, at least in principle, justify claims of unlawful behaviour. As far as ethical considerations are concerned, the paper then notes a deep divide between those who fully endorse the notion of cultural appropriation and those who are resolutely opposed to it. This paper aims to give fair consideration to both sides of the argument, suggesting three categories of potentially unethical conduct. On this basis, the paper finally revisits possible legal responses from a normative perspective.