bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Impact of Entrepreneurial Education on Entrepreneurial Activity: With the Moderating Role of Future Time Perspective and Mediating Role of Opportunity Identification
Authors: Charoenwiriyakul Chandej , Toopgajank Sriparinya , Thammasane Sittichai
Published: December 2019

Purpose: This research is conducted to know the impact of entrepreneurial education on entrepreneurial activity in Thailand, this study also focuses on the moderating effect of future time perspective between entrepreneurial education and opportunity identification. This study
is directed to keep opportunity identification as a mediating role between entrepreneurial education and entrepreneurial activity. Methodology: Method of quantitative study is used, questionnaire was selected as the research tool, questionnaires were distributed among private and public
universities of Thailand and an online survey was also conducted in order to collect data and in order to collect opinions regarding the main idea of this research. Results: The results showed that entrepreneurial education has a very important and positive impact on entrepreneurial
activity and opportunity identification effectively mediates that relationship between entrepreneurial education and opportunity identification. It can be seen that future time perspective is significantly moderating between opportunity identification and entrepreneurial education. Implications:
The format and variables adopted in this research are a vital addition to the literature world as almost no research was done keeping these variables all at once whereas, practically this research is helpful for the entrepreneurs and higher education system.
Job Performance of Malaysian Academic Institutes with the Mediating Role of Entrepreneurial Leadership
Authors: Jamjumrus Tawee , Rungsawanpho Duangsamorn , Sirirat Aermporn
Published: December 2019

The purpose of this study is to investigate the job performance of Malaysian academic institutions in the presence of managerial competency, self-efficacy and learning orientation with the mediating role of entrepreneurial leadership. This is a quantitative study and random sampling
technique was used. 200 sample size was taken from the Universiti Utara Malaysia and Universiti of Technology Malaysia. For the data collection 5-point Likert scale was used and PLS-SEM version 3 was used to analyze the data. Findings of this study showed that managing competency, self-efficacy
and learning orientation put a very positive effect on the job performance of Malaysian academic institutes along with the role of entrepreneurial leadership which has also emerged pretty much significant in ensuring the higher level of job performance.
The Attitude of Graduation Students Towards the Entrepreneur Education: A Case Study of University Students in Thailand
Authors: Wongwiwat Piyada , Pongsiri Thaniya , Ruengsawat Achara
Published: December 2019

This study investigated the attitudes of graduation students regarding entrepreneur education in Thailand. Data were collected form the Master of Business Administration (MBA) students of three public and three private universities in the city of Bangkok of Thailand by applying convenient
sampling. PLS-SEM was used to analysis the data. The results revealed that the students how to have the ability to take the extensive risk, have self-efficacy regarding entrepreneur and have feasibility in terms project startup have a positive attitude towards entrepreneurship than the students
who did not have these facilities. This study provides the guideline to the police makers, universities, and the government of the country that provides these type of facilities to their students that they take much interest in the entrepreneur education.
Effect of Rotation, Gravity, Primary Stress and Magnetic Field on Shear Waves Spreading in an Anisotropic Incompressible Sandy Elastic Medium
Authors: Elhag S. H. , Bayones F. S.
Published: December 2019

In this paper, we investigated the spreading of shear wave in an anisotropic non-homogeneous elastic medium under effect of dry sand, rotation, gravity, primary stress, and magnetic field. We have reached equation of variation of shear wave velocity c1 in an anisotropic
incompressible medium according to sand, rotation, gravity, primary stress, and magnetic field, then we used graphs to illustrate to show the effect of direction of spreading of shear wave. The results indicate that the effect of dry sand, rotation, gravity, primary stress, and magnetic field
on the spreading of shear wave in an anisotropic inhomogeneous elastic medium are very pronounced. The results have been obtained are discussed and presented visually, the results demonstrate that the effect of sand, gravity field, primary stress, magnetic field, anisotropy and rotation are
noticeable.
The Effects of Background Zonal and Meridional Winds on ENSO in a Coupled GCM
Authors: Zhao Bowen , Fedorov Alexey
Published: December 2019

Changes in background zonal wind in the tropical Pacific are often invoked to explain changes in ENSO properties. However, the sensitivity of ENSO to mean zonal winds has been thoroughly explored only in intermediate coupled models (following Zebiak and Cane), not in coupled GCMs. The role of mean meridional winds has received even less attention. Accordingly, the goal of this study is to examine systematically the effects of both zonal (equatorial) and meridional (cross-equatorial) background winds on ENSO using targeted experiments with a comprehensive climate model (CESM). Changes in the mean winds are generated by imposing heat flux forcing in two confined regions at a sufficient distance north and south of the equator. We find that the strengthening of either wind component reduces ENSO amplitude, especially eastern Pacific SST variability, and inhibits meridional swings of the intertropical convergence zone (ITCZ). The effect of zonal winds is generally stronger than that of meridional winds. A stability analysis reveals that the strengthening of zonal and meridional winds weakens the ENSO key positive feedbacks, specifically the zonal advection and thermocline feedbacks, which explains these changes. Zonal wind enhancement also intensifies mean upwelling and hence dynamical damping, leading to a further weakening of El Niño events. Ultimately, this study argues that the zonal and, to a lesser extent, meridional wind strengthening of the past decades may have contributed to the observed shift of El Niño characteristics after the year 2000.
Boreal Winter Surface Air Temperature Responses to Large Tropical Volcanic Eruptions in CMIP5 Models
Authors: Xing Chen , Liu Fei , Wang Bin , Chen Deliang , Liu Jian , Liu Bin
Published: December 2019

We analyzed global surface air temperature (SAT) responses to five major tropical volcanic eruptions from 1870 to 2005 using outputs from 97 historical and 58 Atmospheric Model Intercomparison Project (AMIP) runs that participated in phase 5 of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP5). In observations, there was a 3-yr global cooling trend after the eruption due to reduced shortwave radiation, and a 0.1-K average global-mean SAT recovery, consisting of El Niño–like tropical warming and Eurasian warming, occurred in the first posteruption boreal winter. This global cooling pause was simulated by the multimodel ensemble (MME) mean of the AMIP runs, but not the MME of the historical runs due to the absence of El Niño–like warming. In the historical runs, simulation of El Niño–like warming was influenced by the initial ocean condition (IOC). An El Niño–like response was simulated when the IOC was not in an El Niño state, but the warming was much weaker compared to observations. The Eurasian warming response, despite being reproduced by the MME mean of both AMIP and historical runs, was not as strong as in observations. This is because the simulated positive polar vortex response, an important stratospheric forcing for Eurasian warming, was very weak, which suggests that the CMIP5 models, and even the Climate Forecast System model, underestimate volcanic effects on the stratosphere. Most of the coupled models failed to replicate both the El Niño and the enhanced polar vortex responses, indicating an urgent need for improving air–sea interaction and stratospheric processes in these models.
Allocation of Driver Attention for Varying In-Vehicle System Modalities
Authors: Li Ning , Boyle Linda Ng
Published: December 2019

Objective

This paper examines drivers’ allocation of attention using response time to a tactile detection response task (TDRT) while interacting with an in-vehicle information system (IVIS) over time.

Background

Longer TDRT response time is associated with higher cognitive workload. However, it is not clear what role is assumed by the human and system in response to varying in-vehicle environments over time.

Method

A driving simulator study with 24 participants was conducted with a restaurant selection task of two difficulty levels (easy and hard) presented in three modalities (audio only, visual only, hybrid). A linear mixed-effects model was applied to identify factors that affect TDRT response time. A nonparametric time-series model was also used to explore the visual attention allocation under the hybrid mode over time.

Results

The visual-only mode significantly increased participants’ response time compared with the audio-only mode. Females took longer to respond to the TDRT when engaged with an IVIS. The study showed that participants tend to use the visual component more toward the end of the easy tasks, whereas the visual mode was used more at the beginning of the harder tasks.

Conclusion

The visual-only mode of the IVIS increased drivers’ cognitive workload when compared with the auditory-only mode. Drivers showed different visual attention allocation during the easy and hard restaurant selection tasks in the hybrid mode.

Application

The findings can help guide the design of automotive user interfaces and help manage cognitive workload.
The critical impasse of peacebuilding: Toward an analytically eclectic critique of liberal peacebuilding
Authors: Xu Cheng
Published: December 2019

In the decades following the Cold War, scholars of International Relations (IR) have struggled to come to grips with how the fundamental shifts in the international system affect the theoretical underpinnings of IR. The debates on peacebuilding have served as a fierce battleground between the dominant IR research programs—realism and liberalism—as to which provides both the best framework for understanding contemporary security challenges as well as policy prescriptions. I engage with the recent arguments made by David Chandler and Mark Sedra, two prominent critical scholars of IR, and argue that IR as a field would be best served to leave behind the “great debates” of the different research programs, and instead focus on middle-range problem-solving and analytically eclectic approaches. This essay further argues that the best way forward is for critical theorists to take a conciliatory approach with the contributions from the other research programs.
How Perceived Quality of Care Affects Outpatient Satisfaction in China: A Cross-Sectional Study of 136 Tertiary Hospitals
Authors: Hu Linlin , Ding Hui , Hu Guangyu , Wang Zijuan , Liu Shiyang , Liu Yuanli
Published: December 2019

Public hospitals are integral components of China’s health care system, and improving quality of care and patient satisfaction has become of greater concern for these hospitals. The aim of this study was to assess outpatient satisfaction with tertiary hospitals and to explore the roles played by patient perceptions of specific aspects of care in overall satisfaction. We designed a questionnaire to assess patient satisfaction and perceived quality of care using a 5-point Likert scale. The survey was conducted in 136 hospitals across 31 provinces of China, and a total of 28 822 patients were interviewed. For statistical analysis, we conducted descriptive analysis, nonparameter tests, Spearman’s rank correlation, and multivariate logistic regression. Stepwise logistic regression identified 12 variables of patient perception associated with overall satisfaction. Patients’ perception of physicians’ technical skills had the strongest association with satisfaction, followed by inquiries into medical history/current situation and availability of elevators. Other determinants included a feeling of respect, timely guidance when needed, and explanation of treatments and medications. Waiting times and hospital environment factors, such as cleanliness of bathrooms and drinking water supply, were also associated with patient satisfaction in a slightly less powerful way. This study revealed that Chinese outpatient satisfaction with tertiary hospitals was relatively high. As determinants of satisfaction, patients valued professional medical care and respect from the medical staff more than nonmedical aspects of care. This implied that Chinese hospitals should ensure quality of medical care and sufficient communication with patients, as well as pay more attention to humanism in health care. In the meantime, improvements should be made to nonmedical aspects of care, especially waiting times and physical environment. These findings are also useful for the rest of the low- and middle-income world in improving patient satisfaction.
Do Advanced Information Technologies Produce Equitable Government Responses in Coproduction: An Examination of 311 Systems in 15 U.S. Cities
Authors: Clark Benjamin Y. , Brudney Jeffrey L. , Jang Sung-Gheel , Davy Bradford
Published: December 2019

This article seeks to answer the following primary research question: Do governments respond differently to citizen service requests depending on where those requests originate in the city? This study is particularly salient in the wake of the Black Lives Matter protests in response to police violence or the gross neglect of infrastructure in Flint, MI. Although numerous studies have been able to demonstrate bias in policing, few (if any) have looked at biases that may be present in other types of general government services. Empirical evidence has supported the claims by some that some cities were responding slower to service requests made in poor and minority neighborhoods than they were in the richer, whiter neighborhoods, but these earlier works were from an era before 311. The article seeks to fill this gap in the modern coproduction literature to evaluate whether advanced information technologies enable equitable responses by governments. The results of our 15-city study of 311 systems (nonemergency service requests made by city residents) demonstrate no systematic differences in how the cities respond that would indicate a bias against minorities and poorer residents. Unsurprisingly, the effects are not consistent across all of our sample cities. Although some cities have statistically significant differences showing slower responses for these neighborhoods and others show quicker, the practical differences are so small as to be of little concern during our study period (2007–2016).
Intracranial hemorrhage risk factors of deep brain stimulation for Parkinson’s disease: a 2-year follow-up study
Authors: Yang Chunhui , Qiu Yiqing , Wang Jiali , Wu Yina , Hu Xiaowu , Wu Xi
Published: December 2019

Objective

This study aimed to analyze the risk factors of intracranial hemorrhage (ICH) after deep brain stimulation (DBS) for idiopathic Parkinson’s disease (PD).

Methods

Patients who received DBS from March 2014 to December 2016 were retrospectively analyzed. The hemorrhage index was derived by combining the hemorrhagic volume and clinical manifestations of ICH. All patients with IHC were followed up for 2 years.

Results

Computed tomography showed 13 events of ICH in 11 patients (nine cases in the subthalamic nucleus), including eight cases with symptomatic hemorrhage (seven cases in the subthalamic nucleus). Hemorrhage was characterized by intracranial hematoma in the electrode puncture tract. Male sex and hypertension were significant risk factors for ICH. Hemorrhage in the preferred puncture side was significantly higher than that in the non-preferred puncture side. The mean hemorrhage index was 2.23 ± 0.83 in 11 patients, and no permanent neurological impairment was found during the 2-year follow-up. The effect of DBS on motor symptoms was similar in patients with and without ICH.

Conclusion

Male sex and hypertension are risk factors of ICH after DBS in PD. The risk of hemorrhage on the first puncture site is significantly higher than that on the second puncture site.
Efficacy of erlotinib as neoadjuvant regimen in EGFR-mutant locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer patients
Authors: Xiong Liwen , Lou Yuqing , Bai Hao , Li Rong , Xia Jinjing , Fang Wentao , Zhang Jie , Han-Zhang Han , Lizaso Analyn , Li Bing , Gu Aiqin , Han Baohui
Published: December 2019

Background

The optimal neoadjuvant regimen for locally advanced resectable non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) remains controversial. EGFR inhibitors have significantly improved survival in patients with EGFR-mutant advanced NSCLC. However, their efficacy in neoadjuvant settings, particularly for treating locally advanced NSCLC, remains unclear. We compared the clinical benefits of chemotherapy and erlotinib as neoadjuvant therapy for stage IIIA NSCLC.

Method

Thirty-one treatment-naïve Chinese patients with stage IIIA NSCLC were enrolled. Patients without EGFR mutation received cisplatin-based doublet chemotherapy (n = 16; N-chemo group) while EGFR-mutant patients received erlotinib (n = 15; N-TKI group) as neoadjuvant therapy.

Results

After completing neoadjuvant treatment, 12 and 8 patients from the N-TKI and N-chemo groups underwent surgery, respectively. Our data revealed that patients who received erlotinib had a marginally better clinical objective response rate (67% vs. 19%), pathological response rate (67% vs. 38%), and overall survival (51.0 months vs. 20.9 months) compared with those who received chemotherapy. Furthermore, patients in the N-TKI group had a significantly greater reduction in tumor diameter, serum carcinoembryonic level, and maximum allelic fraction.

Conclusion

Our findings demonstrate that erlotinib is an effective neoadjuvant regimen in patients with EGFR-mutant locally advanced NSCLC, paving the way for its extended use in neoadjuvant settings. [ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01217619]
Risk factors, risk assessment, and prognosis in patients with gynecological cancer and thromboembolism
Authors: Wang Xindan , Huang Jing , Bingbing Zhao , Li Shape , Li Li
Published: December 2019

Objective

This study aimed to investigate a suitable risk assessment model to predict deep vein thrombosis (DVT) in patients with gynecological cancer.

Methods

Data from 212 patients with gynecological cancer in the Affiliated Tumor Hospital of Guangxi Medical University were retrospectively analyzed. Patients were risk-stratified with three different risk assessment models individually, including the Caprini model, Wells DVT model, and Khorana model.

Results

The difference in risk level evaluated by the Caprini model was not different between the DVT and control groups. However, the DVT group had a significantly higher risk level than the control group with the Wells DVT or Khorana model. The Wells DVT model was more effective for stratifying patients in the DVT group into the higher risk level and for stratifying those in the control group into the lower risk level. Receiver operating curve analysis showed that the area under the curve of the Wells DVT, Khorana, and Caprini models was 0.995 ± 0.002, 0.642 ± 0.038, and 0.567 ± 0.039, respectively.

Conclusion

The Wells DVT model is the most suitable risk assessment model for predicting DVT. Clinicians could also combine the Caprini and Wells DVT models to effectively identify high-risk patients and eliminate patients without DVT.
Kyphoplasty for occult and non-occult osteoporotic vertebral fractures: a retrospective study
Authors: Zhou Zhangzhe , Sun Zhiyong , Wang Yimeng , Zhu Xiaoyu , Qian Zhonglai
Published: December 2019

Objective

To compare the safety and efficacy of kyphoplasty in the treatment of occult and non-occult osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures (OOVF).

Material and Methods

From 2015 to 2017, 82 OOVF and 105 non-occult osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures (N-OOVF) were evaluated with the Visual Analog Scale (VAS), Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), and vertebral height preoperatively, immediately postoperatively, and one year postoperatively. Operative time, fluoroscopy time, and cement injection volume were recorded.

Results

Compared with the preoperative VAS and ODI scores, the scores of both groups were significantly improved after surgery. Preoperative ODI and VAS scores of the OOVF were lower than those of the N-OOVF. The operative time, fluoroscopy time, and bone cement injection volume of the OOVF were significantly lower than those of the N-OOVF. Vertebral height of the N-OOVF improved significantly after surgery. There were differences in cement leakage and adjacent vertebral fractures between the two groups.

Conclusion

Compared with N-OOVF, OOVF are safer with kyphoplasty, and it is necessary to diagnose OOVF in a timely manner.
Advances in research on the interaction between inflammation and cancer
Authors: Song Xin-Da , Wang Ya-Ni , Zhang Ai-li , Liu Bin
Published: December 2019

Inflammation is the body's response to cell damage. Cancer is a general term that describes all malignant tumours. There are no confirmed data on cancer-related inflammation, but some research suggests that up to 50% of cancers may be linked to inflammation, which has led to the concept of ‘cancer-associated inflammation’. Although some cancer patients do not appear to have a chronic inflammatory background, there might be inflammatory cell infiltration in their cancer tissues. The continuation of the inflammatory response plays an important role in the initiation, promotion, malignant transformation, invasion and metastasis of cancer. Anti-inflammatory therapy has been shown to have some effects on the prevention and treatment of cancer, which supports a pathogenic relationship between inflammation and cancer. This review describes the interaction between inflammation and tumour development and the main mechanism of regulation of the inflammatory response during tumour development.
The efficacy and safety of Botulinum Toxin Type A in painful knee osteoarthritis: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Zhai Shuchao , Huang Botao , Yu Kai
Published: December 2019

Objective

A systematic review and meta-analysis was carried out to evaluate the efficacy and safety of Botulinum Toxin Type A in painful knee osteoarthritis.

Methods

The EMBASE and MEDLINE databases were searched to identify randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of Botulinum Toxin Type A in the treatment of painful knee osteoarthritis. The references of included literature were also searched.

Results

Five articles involving 5 RCTs including 314 patients were included in this analysis. There was a significant difference between Botulinum Toxin Type A and placebo in the visual analog scale (VAS) pain scale and Western Ontario & McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) questionnaire score in both the short-term (≤4 weeks) and long-term (≥8 weeks) treatment period. There were no serious adverse events in the Botulinum Toxin Type A groups.

Conclusions

This meta-analysis suggests that Botulinum Toxin Type A is effective and safe in the painful knee OA treatment. However, high-quality randomized controlled studies are still needed to further confirm our findings.
Seasonal variations in the lake-water oxygen isotope composition of four lakes in the East Asian summer monsoon region: Implications for the interpretation of paleo-isotope records
Authors: Zhang Zhiping , Liu Jianbao , Liu Xiaokang , Chen Shengqian , Yu Ailing , Zhang Xiaosen , Chen Jie , Shen Zhongwei , Chen Jie , Zhang Shanjia , Xia Huan , Chen Fahu
Published: December 2019

The scarcity of modern process studies of the relationship between climatic variables and lake-water oxygen isotope (δ18OLW) composition has restricted our understanding of the climatic significance of oxygen isotope (δ18O) records from lake sediments. We measured changes in δ18OLW at four lakes (Nanyihu, Gonghai, Mayinghai and Xihaizi) at various locations across the East Asian summer monsoon (EASM) region, from December 2016 to January 2018. The variations in δ18OLW at Lake Nanyihu, located in the lower reach of the Yangtze River, are controlled by precipitation oxygen isotope (δ18OP) composition, temperature and evaporation during the non-monsoon season. However, the variations in δ18OLW at the lakes close to the northern limit of the EASM (Gonghai, Mayinghai and Xihaizi) are affected not only by δ18OP, temperature and evaporation, but also by the replenishment of groundwater during the non-monsoon season. In general, during the non-monsoon season, the variation of δ18OLW exhibits a variety of patterns and the controlling factors across the EASM region are complex. During the monsoon season, although the effect of evaporation-induced isotopic enrichment still affects δ18OLW, the variations in δ18OLW are more influenced by the supply of abundant precipitation with lower δ18OP to the lakes, which caused a substantial decrease in δ18OLW across the EASM region in this season. Therefore, the variations in δ18OLW mainly reflect the δ18OP of the EASM during the monsoon season. However, the timing of the peak in monsoon precipitation does not correspond well to minima in δ18OLW, and correlation analysis reveals that there is only a weak relationship between δ18OLW and precipitation/humidity at all four lakes during the monsoon season. These findings demonstrate that although δ18OLW can represent the δ18OP of the EASM, it does not reflect precipitation/humidity during the monsoon season. Overall, our findings indicate that the seasonal variations of δ18OLW across the EASM region are controlled by different climatic variables, which implies that the interpretation of lacustrine δ18O records across the EASM region as an indicator of regional effective precipitation/humidity needs to be reassessed.
System change in the spirit of reconciliation in action: The All Nations Health Partnership
Authors: Racette Ray J.
Published: December 2019

The urgency for reforming our health systems to improve health outcomes and service pathways is pressing and must be championed by leaders. Coalitions of the willing must be created to lead this movement. The All Nations Health Partners in Kenora, Ontario, have formed to lead health system reform in the Kenora Health District and are doing so in the spirit of Reconciliation in Action. All nations and organizations working together to reduce health disparities and improve health outcomes for all people.
Solitary Confinement and the U.S. Prison Boom
Authors: Sakoda Ryan T. , Simes Jessica T.
Published: December 2019

Solitary confinement is a harsh form of custody involving isolation from the general prison population and highly restricted access to visitation and programs. Using detailed prison records covering three decades of confinement practices in Kansas, we find solitary confinement is a normal event during imprisonment. Long stays in solitary confinement were rare in the late 1980s with no detectable racial disparities, but a sharp increase in capacity after a new prison opening began an era of long-term isolation most heavily affecting Black young adults. A decomposition analysis indicates that increases in the length of stay in solitary confinement almost entirely explain growth in the proportion of people held in solitary confinement. Our results provide new evidence of increasingly harsh prison conditions and disparities that unfolded during the prison boom.
Evaluation of Antibiotic Utilization in a Rural, Outpatient Clinic: An Antimicrobial Stewardship Initiative
Authors: Giles Amber B. , Sarbacker G. Blair , Anderson Kathryn , King Courtney , Goodbar Neal , Shealy Kayce
Published: December 2019

Background:

Antibiotics are commonly prescribed for uncomplicated urinary tract infection (UTI) and acute otitis media (AOM) and may be unnecessary at times. The aim of this study was to evaluate prescribing practices for UTIs and AOM in a rural ambulatory care setting and to identify areas for improvement.

Methods:

In a single-center, retrospective review conducted at a rural clinic, patients diagnosed with uncomplicated UTI and AOM were included. Patients were identified by International Classification of Diseases, Tenth (ICD-10) codes, and data were collected for visits between January 1, 2017, and December 31, 2017. The primary outcome was to assess adherence of antimicrobial prescribing to current treatment guidelines.

Results:

Of the 76 patients identified, 28 met inclusion criteria. Of the 28 patients, 75% received an agent recommended first line in the treatment guidelines, and 18 of the 21 received a recommended dose. Only 17% of patients were prescribed an appropriate duration of treatment.

Conclusion:

Opportunities exist for antimicrobial stewardship interventions for uncomplicated UTIs and AOM. Prescribers are not consistently adhering to guidelines in regard to antibiotic choice, dose, or duration. Additional education and stewardship interventions are crucial considering the increased prevalence of antimicrobial resistance.
The ability of arsenic metabolism affected the expression of lncRNA PANDAR, DNA damage, or DNA methylation in peripheral blood lymphocytes of laborers
Authors: He Y , Zhang R , Chen J , Tan J , Wang M , Wu X
Published: December 2019

Arsenic has been associated with significant effects on human health. Exposure to inorganic arsenic has been associated with the changes in gene expression. Promoter of CDKN1A antisense DNA damage activated RNA (PANDAR) expression is induced by p53 protein and DNA damage response. Here, we investigated whether the ability of arsenic metabolism in individuals affected the expression of PANDAR, DNA damage, and DNA methylation. Levels of gene expression and DNA damage were examined by the quantitative polymerase chain reaction and DNA methylation was measured by the methylation-sensitive high-resolution melting curve. In our study, we demonstrated that arsenic exposure increased PANDAR expression and DNA damage among arsenic smelting plant laborers. The PANDAR expression and DNA damage were positively linked to monomethylarsonic acid % ( R = 0.25, p < 0.05 and R = 0.32, p < 0.01) and negatively linked to dimethylarsinic acid % ( R = −0.21, p < 0.05 and R = −0.31, p < 0.01). Subjects with low primary methylation index had increased levels of DNA damage (51.62 ± 2.96 vs. 60.93 ± 3.10, p < 0.05) and methylation (17.14 (15.88–18.51) vs. 15.83 (14.82–18.00), p < 0.05). Subjects with low secondary methylation index had increased levels of PANDAR expression (4.88 ± 0.29 vs. 4.07 ± 0.23, p < 0.01) and DNA damage (17.38 (15.88–19.29) vs. 15.83 (14.82–17.26), p < 0.01). DNA methylation of PANDAR gene was linked to the regulation of its expression in peripheral blood lymphocytes among laborers ( Y = −2.08 × X + 5.64, p < 0.05). These findings suggested arsenic metabolism ability and exposure affected the expression of PANDAR, DNA damage, and DNA methylation.
S-100β in predicting the need of hyperbaric oxygen in CO-induced delayed neurological sequels
Authors: Hafez Amal SAF , El-Sarnagawy Ghada N
Published: December 2019

Background:

Delayed neurological sequels (DNS) have been described after carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning. There is a need to find a new prognostic marker to guide the use of hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) therapy.

Aim:

To evaluate serum S-100β level in patients presenting with acute CO poisoning as an indicator of poisoning severity and predictor of DNS occurrence and HBO need in those patients.

Methods:

This prospective cohort study included patients with acute CO poisoning. On admission, carboxyhemoglobin (COHb) and S-100β levels were measured. Patients were followed up for 6 months for signs of DNS.

Results:

Out of 50 patients, 6 only developed DNS. The mean of S-100β levels was significantly higher in patients with severe poisoning and those with DNS. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis revealed that S-100β had an area under the curve 0. 871; at a cutoff value ≥ 0.67 µg/L, its sensitivity and specificity were 100% and 77.3%, respectively. The sensitivity of S-100β was significantly higher than that of COHb, while its specificity and overall accuracy were significantly higher than those of HBO criteria.

Conclusion:

Serum S-100β level on admission could be a marker of poisoning severity and a predictor of CO-induced DNS development that guides the use of HBO therapy.
Waiting as a redemptive state: The ‘Lampedusa in Hamburg’ and the offer from the Hamburg government
Authors: Drangsland Kari Anne K
Published: December 2019

This paper explores an offer of possible legalization that the Hamburg government gave to a group of 350 illegalized West-African migrants in 2013. Based on ethnographic fieldwork carried out in 2017, when the majority of the migrants who accepted the offer were still awaiting its redeeming, I explore the offer as an instrument of governing and as a lived timespace. Taking this route, this article seeks to contribute to the debates around waiting and the relationship between time, space and government in present border regimes. In particular, I argue for the need to pay attention to how waiting, as a technique of governing migrants, works through linear and periodized temporal frameworks. Drawing on feminist critiques of temporal linearity and periodization, and on Povinelli’s work on techniques of ‘temporal bracketing’, I investigate how violence and redeeming are coordinated spatially and temporally in the offer. I argue that temporal frameworks intertwine with territorial imaginaries in ways that allow waiting to appear as a redemptive state. Moreover, I suggest that by attending to multiple and relational temporalities, the coordinates of suffering and redeeming in the offer might be redrawn.
Prevalence of Sickle Cell Disease Among School-age Children in Chhattisgarh, India: Predictions, Implications and Interventions
Authors: Mishra H. , Neralwar A.
Published: December 2019

Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a haemoglobin disorder prevalent in Sub-Saharan Africa, Middle East and India. SCD is a major cause of morbidity and low quality of life in Chhattisgarh and other central Indian states. Currently, there is no estimate available for the number of SCD patients and carriers in Chhattisgarh. The Government of Chhattisgarh conducted a screening project for measuring prevalence of SCD among school-age children in the state in October 2007–December 2017 in six districts of the state. Using these screening data, an estimate of prevalence of SCD was made for school-age children in different geographical regions and social categories in Chhattisgarh. The numbers of SCD patients and carriers among school-age children in Chhattisgarh were estimated as 27,101 and 714,483, respectively. Furthermore, 79.64 per cent patients among school-age children, that is, 21,583 patients were estimated to reside in rural areas. The estimates may be of use in designing policies and developing strategies with better coordination and outreach for care of SCD patients. It is call of the time to develop dedicated infrastructure having medical, training, counselling and research facilities in a hierarchical manner comprising dedicated tertiary to primary care facilities in remote rural areas.
Impact of Competition on Social Performance of MFIs: Comparative Analysis of India and Bangladesh
Authors: Deb Joyeeta
Published: December 2019

Although studies encompassing the different aspect of microfinance like sustainability of microfinance institutions (MFIs), role of microfinance in poverty alleviation, etc., have enriched the literature from time to time, studies on competition and its impact on social performance of MFIs are scarce. There also exists lacking consensus as to how can competition influence MFIs’ social performance. The empirical evidence reveals duality of opinion. With information asymmetry, competition enhances borrowers’ indebtedness and lowers expected loan repayment and impeding loan quality. Furthermore, in order to overcome these problems, MFIs would engage in more screening that raises their operational costs. This encumbers the sustainability of MFIs. Thus, the socially oriented MFIs, in order to remain sustainable, start targeting the less poor borrowers. But the other view holds that as competition intensifies, it provokes the MFIs to remain committed with the social objective and to strive to retain the clients. The theory on impact of competition on the social performance of MFIs may be either positive or negative, which calls for further investigation. Against this backdrop, this article attempts to assess the impact of competition on social performance of MFIs in India and Bangladesh. The study is conducted over 53 MFIs from India and 20 MFIs from Bangladesh on which a complete set of data is available. The study period is confined to 9 years from 2009 to 2017. In order to establish the association between competition and MFIs’ social performance, panel data regression is used. The study takes into account the depth and breadth of outreach as the dependent variable. The study uses panel data regression to establish the association between competition and social performance of MFIs. The empirical analysis reveals that competition has no significant association with any of the measures of social performance. This implies that social performance in the sector is explained by other factors. Amongst the country-specific variables, it is clear from analyses that gross domestic product (GDP) and inflation are important determining factors of MFIs’ social performance. Country of origin (COO) of the MFIs is one of the determining factors for social performance as it is found to be significant for three out of the four models. It is also evident from the analyses that Bangladeshi MFIs have a greater impact on MFIs’ social performance in terms of outreach in comparison to Indian MFIs. While for percentage of female borrowers (PFB), Indian MFIs account for greater depth of outreach in comparison to Bangladesh.
Return to Skills in India: The Role of Digital Access and Usage
Authors: Rani P. Geetha , Shree Megha , Shukla Rajesh
Published: December 2019

This article analyses the quality of labour force in India using the data from India’s Citizen Environment and Consumer Economy (ICE) 360° survey (2016), which provides a view on how Indians earn, spend, save, invest, live, think, access amenities and public goods and consume. The approach adopted here provides an alternative perspective on the quality of labour force, which depends on skill levels, education and technology. The analysis reveals that Indian labour markets depicts a clear dichotomy between higher skill levels being dominated largely by the high-skilled workers and the manual jobs with lower skill levels for the low-skilled workers. Technology and digital usage has further accentuated this earnings differential. Also, higher skill levels in India tend to have both higher average earning and education levels compared to their lower skill counterparts, leading to widening the earning inequality.Further, this analysis provides important insights into the low skill levels of the vast Indian labour force, which would require re-qualification and re-specialisation of the labour force in order to compete in fast-changing globalised India. Thus, it becomes critical for Indian policymakers to relook the skill formation and education system to be able to swiftly and effectively respond to constantly evolving skill demand in the local, national and global market.
Book review: Food Security Atlas of Rural Odisha 2018 and Food Security Atlas of Rural Bihar 2018
Authors: Bedamatta Rajshree
Published: December 2019

Food Security Atlas of Rural Odisha 2018 and Food Security Atlas of Rural Bihar 2018. Mumbai: Indira Gandhi Institute of Development Research and New Delhi: Institute for Human Development.
Impacts of Traditional Cooking Fuels on the Prevalence of Ailments in India
Authors: Ranjan Rahul , Bhadra Kausik K.
Published: December 2019

This article examines the impact of the use of traditional cooking fuels on health using India Human Development Survey and National Sample Survey Organisation health expenditure data. Analyses reveal that the use of traditional fuel is significantly associated with the prevalence of short-term and long-term ailments. Subsequently, probit estimation is used to measure how the socio-economic and demographic factors influence the prevalence of short-term and long-term ailments due to the use of cooking fuels. It was found that if a household has a separate kitchen, the possibility of its members suffering diseases is lower than the households which do not have a separate one. Further, if a household uses improved chulha with the traditional fuel, the prevalence of diseases will be lesser vis-à-vis the usage of traditional chulha with the traditional fuel.
Nasal adenocarcinoma associated with jaagsiekte sheep retrovirus infection in a sheep
Authors: Jahns Hanne , Cousens Chris
Published: December 2019

Betaretrovirus-induced transmissible respiratory tumors in sheep arise at 2 distinct anatomic locations, either deep in the lung tissue caused by jaagsiekte sheep retrovirus (JSRV) or in the nasal cavity induced by ovine enzootic nasal tumor virus (ENTV-1). JSRV and ENTV-1 are found in many countries worldwide and have a significant economic and animal health impact. Although JSRV is endemic in sheep in the British Isles, ENTV-1 has not been reported. We report herein a nasal adenocarcinoma in a cull 8-y-old Belclare ewe from Ireland. The gross and microscopic features and immunohistochemistry results were consistent with an ENTV-1–associated tumor. However, differential PCR, using primers specific to regions of divergent sequence between the viruses, was performed on different parts of the adenocarcinoma and produced consistent results: positive for JSRV and negative for ENTV-1. An association of JSRV with nasal adenocarcinoma in sheep has not been reported previously, to our knowledge. Our case shows the necessity of using PCR in combination with immunohistochemistry to reach an accurate etiologic diagnosis, which is of importance in countries currently free of ENTV-1.
Designing for Physician Trust: Toward a Machine Learning Decision Aid for Radiation Toxicity Risk
Authors: Gilbank Paige , Johnson-Cover Kaleigh , Truong Tran
Published: December 2019

The application of machine learning (ML) technologies in health care is expected to improve care delivery and patient outcomes. However, there are no best practices for designing these technologies for use in clinical settings. To explore user needs and design requirements for a user interface of a ML risk prediction tool in development, we consulted with subject matter experts and physicians. We explored physician expectations of using a ML tool in clinical practice and their preferences on designs. Our process revealed physician perspectives on trusting a ML tool and opportunities to design for these considerations, while navigating ambiguity in the tool’s outputs.
Influence characteristics of electrical parameters and vibration isolation properties of the stretcher system based on parallel mechanism and self-powered magneto-rheological damper
Authors: Gao Xiang , Niu Junchuan , Liu Zhihui , Shen Guodong
Published: December 2019

For reducing multidimensional vibrations endured by supine patients on ambulances, a new ambulance stretcher composed of parallel mechanism and self-powered magneto-rheological damper is introduced. The main thrust of this work is to investigate the vibration isolation capability and energy conversion efficiency of the proposed stretcher with changes in electrical parameters. First, the kinematic and dynamic equations are deduced by geometry and Lagrange approach, respectively. Subsequently, the circuit model of self-powered magneto-rheological damper is created. The frequency response function is derived by Kirchhoff’s law, which indicates the electrical power utilization rate. Then, the vibration isolation capability of the self-powered stretcher system is analyzed with changes in electrical parameters. Compared with passive control, the vibration isolation capability of the self-powered stretcher is improved significantly in horizontal, longitudinal, vertical, and pitch directions. The first two resonance peaks of displacement response are insensitive to changes in electrical parameters in all directions. Last, the energy conversion efficiency of the self-powered stretcher is discussed. Decreasing resistance and inductance could improve energy conversion efficiency significantly.
A new control method based on fuzzy controller, time delay estimation, deep learning, and non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm-III for powertrain mount system
Authors: Guo Li-Xin , Dao Dinh-Nam
Published: December 2019

This article presents a new control method based on fuzzy controller, time delay estimation, deep learning, and non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm-III for the nonlinear active mount systems. The proposed method, intelligent adapter fractions proportional–integral–derivative controller, is a smart combination of the time delay estimation control and intelligent fractions proportional–integral–derivative with adaptive control parameters following the speed range of engine rotation via the deep neural network with the optimal non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm-III deep learning algorithm. Besides, we proposed optimal fuzzy logic controller with optimal parameters via particle swarm optimization algorithm to control reciprocal compensation to eliminate errors for intelligent adapter fractions proportional–integral–derivative controller. The control objective is to deal with the classical conflict between minimizing engine vibration impacts on the chassis to increase the ride comfort and keeping the dynamic wheel load small to ensure the ride safety. The results of this control method are compared with that of traditional proportional–integral–derivative controller systems, optimal proportional–integral–derivative controller parameter adjustment using genetic algorithms, linear–quadratic regulator control algorithms, and passive drive system mounts. The results are tested in both time and frequency domains to verify the success of the proposed optimal fuzzy logic controller–intelligent adapter fractions proportional–integral–derivative control system. The results show that the proposed optimal fuzzy logic controller–intelligent adapter fractions proportional–integral–derivative control system of the active engine mount system gives very good results in comfort and softness when riding compared with other controllers.