bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Revision of Eupsenella Westwood, 1874 (Hymenoptera, Bethylidae)
Authors: RAMOS MAGNO S. , AZEVEDO CELSO O.
Published: April 2019

The Australian genus Eupsenella Westwood, 1874 is revised and 45 species are recognized, seven previously describedand 38 new, namely: Eupsenella ajabatha Ramos & Azevedo, sp. nov., E. alawa Ramos & Azevedo, sp. nov., E. aluraRamos & Azevedo, sp. nov., E. antakirinja Ramos & Azevedo, sp. nov., E. araba Ramos & Azevedo, sp. nov., E.arabana Ramos & Azevedo, sp. nov., E. baada Ramos & Azevedo, sp. nov., E. barada Ramos & Azevedo, sp. nov., E.barna Ramos & Azevedo, sp. nov., E. batjala Ramos & Azevedo, sp. nov., E. bilingara Ramos & Azevedo, sp. nov., E.bugulmara Ramos & Azevedo, sp. nov., E. dalla Ramos & Azevedo, sp. nov., E. djagaraga Ramos & Azevedo, sp. nov.,E. eora Ramos & Azevedo, sp. nov., E. ilba Ramos & Azevedo, sp. nov., E. inawonga Ramos & Azevedo, sp. nov., E.inggarda Ramos & Azevedo, sp. nov., E. ingura Ramos & Azevedo, sp. nov., E. iwaidja Ramos & Azevedo, sp. nov., E.jaadwa Ramos & Azevedo, sp. nov., E. jaara Ramos & Azevedo, sp. nov., E. jaburara Ramos & Azevedo, sp. nov., E.jadira Ramos & Azevedo, sp. nov., E. jagara Ramos & Azevedo, sp. nov., E. janda Ramos & Azevedo, sp. nov., E.kabalbara Ramos & Azevedo, sp. nov., E. kaibara Ramos & Azevedo, sp. nov., E. karanja Ramos & Azevedo, sp. nov.,E. karawa Ramos & Azevedo, sp. nov., E. kokatha Ramos & Azevedo, sp. nov., E. larrakia Ramos & Azevedo, sp. nov.,E. maya Ramos & Azevedo, sp. nov., E. malgana Ramos & Azevedo, sp. nov., E. nanda Ramos & Azevedo, sp. nov., E.nangatara Ramos & Azevedo, sp. nov., E. pangkala Ramos & Azevedo, sp. nov., E. wanamara Ramos & Azevedo, sp.nov., which are described and illustrated. Eupsenella ceciliae Terayama, 2004, E. diemenensis Dodd, 1916, E.flavifemorata Terayama, 2004, E. insulana Gordh & Harris, 1996, and E. reticulata Terayama, 2004 had their taxonomicalvariations and known distribution broadened. Keys to species of Australian region based on males and females are provided.
Review of the jumping tree bugs (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Miridae: Isometopinae) of Argentina and nearby areas of Brazil and Paraguay, with descriptions of nine new species
Authors: HENRY THOMAS J. , CARPINTERO DIEGO L.
Published: April 2019

Nine new species of jumping tree bugs, or Isometopinae, from Argentina, Paraguay, and southern Brazil are described.  The genus Aristotelesia is revised and the two new species A. fuscata (from Brazil) and A. medialis (from Argentina) are described, and the Argentine and Paraguayan species of Myiomma are reviewed and the seven new species M. apicalis (from Paraguay), M. argentinensis (from Argentina and Paraguay), M. binotata (from Argentina), M. pallidopleura (from Argentina), M. pallipes (from Argentina), M. scutellata (from Paraguay), and M. uniformis (from Argentina) are described.  Previously published records of isometopines from Argentina are clarified.  Color photographs, illustrations of the parameres of M. argentinensis, and keys are provided to help distinguish species.
Ten new species of Meteorus (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) from Ecuador reared at the Yanayacu Biological Center for Creative Studies
Authors: JONES GUINEVERE Z. , SHAW SCOTT R.
Published: April 2019

Ten new species of the braconid genus Meteorus are described, along with biological information. Specimens were reared from lepidopteran larvae collected in the northeastern Andes of Ecuador, a hotspot of global diversity. The new species described and illustrated are: M. bustamanteorum, M. caritatis, M. horologium, M. imaginatus, M. luteus, M. margarita, M. oreo, M. porcatus, M. quasifabatus, and M. zitaniae. The biology of these species has also been observed: reared as single wasp emergences are M. caritatis, M. imaginatus, M. luteus, and M. oreo. The majority of the descriptions are of gregarious wasp rearings, which occur within M. bustamanteorum, M. horologium, M. margarita, M. porcatus, M. quasifabatus, and M. zitaniae. There is a large diversity of taxa used for oviposition; four species were reared from Arctiidae caterpillars, two from Nymphalidae, and one each from Apatelodidae, Limacodidae, Megalopygidae, and Noctuidae. The host data for the new species of Meteorus shows a strong correlation between type of host defense and whether development yields a solitary or gregarious wasp. All of the Meteorus wasps collected from this region have been new species, which highlights the enormous biodiversity and importance of describing new species in the neotropics.
Cacopsylla fraudatrix sp.n. (Hemiptera: Psylloidea) recognised from testis structure and mitochondrial gene COI
Authors: KUZNETSOVA VALENTINA G. , LABINA EUGENIA S. , SHAPOVAL NAZAR A. , MARYAŃSKA-NADACHOWSKA ANNA , LUKHTANOV VLADIMIR A.
Published: April 2019

Cacopsylla fraudatrix Labina & Kuznetsova sp.n., collected from Vaccinium myrtillus in Bieszczady Mountains (S. Poland) is described and compared with the most closely related species, C. myrtilli (developing on V. myrtillus) and C. ledi (on Ledum palustre) as well as with a distantly related species C. vaccinii  (on V. bracteatum). The identity of the new species is supported by the structure of testes consisting of two follicles each, in contrast to four in C. myrtilli and C. ledi, and by a molecular phylogenetic analysis based on a 714 bp fragment of the mitochondrial COI gene. C. fraudatrix sp. n. forms a distinct clade in MP, ML and BI trees and differs from C. myrtilli by 28 fixed nucleotide substitutions (uncorrected p-distance = 3.92%) and from C. ledi by 26 fixed nucleotide substitutions (uncorrected p-distance = 3.64%).
Rediscovery, taxonomic status, and phylogenetic relationships of two rare and endemic snakes (Serpentes: Psammophiinae) from the southwestern Angolan plateau
Authors: BRANCH WILLIAM R. , BAPTISTA NINDA , KEATES CHAD , EDWARDS SHELLEY
Published: April 2019

Two rare and endemic psammophines (Serpentes: Psammophiinae) occur in Angola. The taxonomic status of Psammophylax rhombeatus ocellatus Bocage, 1873 and Psammophis ansorgii Boulenger, 1905 have long remained problematic, with both having varied past and present taxonomic assignments, and whose distributions may therefore present zoogeographic anomalies. Little was known of their biology, habitat associations, or phylogenetic relationships. New material was collected during biodiversity surveys of the Humpata Plateau, near Lubango, Angola. It allowed fuller descriptions of scalation and live coloration for both species, and resolution of their taxonomic status. Genetic analysis confirms that both are distinct at the specific level. In addition, within Psammophis, Jalla’s Sand Snake (Psammophis jallae Peracca, 1896), of which P. rohani Angel, 1925, remains a synonym, is sister to P. ansorgii, and Boulenger’s comment on similarities with P. crucifer are not supported. The status of an unusual skaapsteker from Calueque, Cunene Province, Angola, is discussed and its assignment to Ps. ocellatus is provisional and requires additional material for taxonomic resolution. The new P. ansorgii records from Tundavala represent a range (+400 km southwest) and altitude (1800 m to 2286 m a.s.l) extension from the previous only known precise locality of Bela Vista (= Catchiungo), Huambo Province, whilst that for Ps. ocellatus doubles the known altitude from 1108 m to 2286 m a.s.l and extends the range about 122 km to the northwest from historical material from the plateau of Huíla and Cunene provinces.
Do Physically Literate Adolescents Have Better Academic Performance?
Authors: Gu Xiangli , Zhang Tao , Lun (Alan) Chu Tsz , Zhang Xiaoxia , Thomas Thomas Katherine
Published: April 2019

This study examined the relationship between physical literacy (i.e., motor competence, physical activity, and health-related fitness) and academic performance (i.e., executive function, class attendance, and standardized test scores) among adolescents. Second, we investigated whether these relationships differ between boys and girls using a structural invariable test. Using a prospective research design, we recruited 330 adolescents (154 boys and 176 girls; Mage = 12.52 years, SD = 0.86) in Texas and conducted correlational analyses, finding that physical literacy variables were significantly related to executive function (while the rs range was from −.16 to −.30, the high scores on the instrument we used, the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function, indicate higher risks for executive dysfunction; p < .01) and positively associated with school attendance ( rs range from .19 to .34; p < .05). Structural equation models supported the significant direct and indirect effects of motor competence on executive function and school attendance for boys and girls through physical fitness (all three components) and school-based moderate-to-vigorous physical activity, respectively. The structural invarince test indicated noninvariant models (based on path coefficients) between girls and boys ( p < .01). Embracing psychomotor associations with physical literacy may be a promising way to elicit behavioral change in physical fitness and create a behavioral channel to academic success for adolescents.
Needs of the Aging LGBT Community in Israel
Authors: Shnoor Yitschak , Berg-Warman Ayelet
Published: April 2019

Since the late 1980s, there have been changes in attitudes toward the LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender) community in Israel. Nevertheless, the service system for the elderly is largely characterized by heteronormativity and relies on family members to help their elderly relatives. Goal: To examine the difficulties experienced by old LGBT people, particularly in receiving health and social services. Method: A total of 104 LGBT people aged 55+ years responded to a structured online questionnaire. Findings: Compared with the general elderly population, elderly LGBT people have fewer support networks, they tend to live alone, and suffer from tremendous loneliness. They are afraid of coming out to health and social service providers and of functional dependency, particularly due to their fear of disclosing their sexual orientation or gender identity, the barriers to receiving help, and the absence of family support to assist them.
Literacy & Controversy: Focus-Group Data from Canada on Proposed Changes to the Braille Code
Authors: Gerber Elaine , Smith Brooke C.
Published: April 2019

Focus-group research conducted on Unified English Braille highlights the diversity of views about the desirability of the new code and its proposed changes. Many features seen by students as positive were the same features deemed undesirable by other students. In general, teachers were more amenable to the changes than were students. Nearly all participants expressed serious concern about the effect of the new code on current students and on adult braille readers. Issues were raised about the feasibility of instituting the new code as well, and about how closely braille needs to be wedded to print. With many constituents opposed to altering the braille code, this research explores questions associated with the controversy over instituting the proposed changes.
Effects of Job Burnout and Emotional Labor on Objective Structured Clinical Examination Performance Among Interns and Residents in Taiwan
Authors: Wang Chen-Yu , Chen Jen-De , Wang Chih-Hung , Wang Jong-Yi , Tai Chih-Jaan , Hsieh Tsu-Yi , Chen Der-Yuan
Published: April 2019

Medical education faces challenges concerning job burnout and emotional labor among junior physicians, which poses a potential threat to the quality of medical care. Although studies have investigated job burnout and emotional labor among physicians, empirical research on the association between job burnout, emotional labor, and clinical performance is lacking. This study investigated the effects of job burnout and emotional labor on clinical performance by using the objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) scores of interns and residents. Specifically, this cross-sectional study utilized the Maslach Burnout Inventory and the Emotional Labor Questionnaire as measurement instruments. A total of 225 interns and residents in central Taiwan answered structured questionnaires before beginning their OSCE. The major statistical analysis method employed was logistic regression. After adjustment for covariates, first-year residents were less likely than other residents to obtain high OSCE scores. The odds of high OSCE performance among interns and residents with high interaction component scores in emotional labor were significantly higher than those with low interaction scores. A high score in the interaction dimension of emotional labor was associated with strong clinical performance. The findings suggest that interventions which motivate positive attitudes and increase interpersonal interaction skills among physicians should receive higher priority.
University students’ mobile news consumption activities and evaluative/affective reactions to political news during election campaigns: A diary study
Authors: Tang Rong , Oh Kyong Eun
Published: April 2019

Smartphones have now become routinely used tools for people’s everyday life news consumption. This article presents a diary study involving 49 university students in the United States documenting their process of consuming political news via smartphones. Participants reported the information about the news and used 23 pairs of semantic differential scales to evaluate and express their affective reactions to the news. Among 176 political news items submitted, the highest proportion was election news. Significant demographic differences were found in participants’ choices of semantic adjectives. Differences were also found in proportions of election and non-election news submitted. A higher proportion of election news was marked as ‘light’, ‘stale’, ‘shallow’, ‘worthless’, ‘dishonest’ and ‘harmful’ than those labelled for non-election news. Findings provide valuable insights into university students’ political news mobile consumption activities and their assessment and sentiment surrounding election news and general political news during the 2016 US Presidential election campaign.
Historicising appropriability: Hybrid Shakespeare and the challenges of history
Authors: Márkus Zoltán
Published: April 2019

With the aid of a specific (or idiosyncratic) understanding of the concept of appropriation that suggests that appropriations are reciprocal manoeuvres of hybridisation that negotiate and construct both their subjects and their objects at the same time, this article explores Shakespeare as a cultural hybrid. In closing, it deploys the preceding theoretical considerations to investigate the cultural and temporal aspects of an anecdote about the Hungarian theatre director Arthur Bárdos.
The Formation of Group Ties in Open Interaction Groups
Authors: Thye Shane , Lawler Edward J. , Yoon Jeongkoo
Published: April 2019

We examine how task jointness and group incentive structures bear on the nature and strength of the affective and cognitive ties that people forge to a group. The argument is that affective group ties have stronger effects on social order than cognitive group ties. There are two general hypotheses. First, joint tasks generate stronger cognitive and affective ties to groups, whereas group incentives generate cognitive but not necessarily affective ties to the group. Second, affective ties more effectively solve two fundamental problems of social order in groups: (1) sustaining membership (also known as stay behavior) and (2) generating the joint gains of further collaboration (cooperation). The theoretical logic is that joint tasks promote a sense of shared responsibility, and this leads members to attribute their individual emotions to the group as an object, whereas alignment of individual and group incentives does not produce such effects. The theory and hypotheses are tested experimentally in four-person open interaction groups, manipulating task jointness (high, low, none) and incentives (individual based vs. group based). The results generally support the hypotheses underlying the theoretical logic. Affective ties to groups are based primarily on levels of task jointness, and such tasks have stronger effects than incentives on the capacity of groups to retain membership and induce cooperation in social dilemmas.
Propagation Index on Airport Delays
Authors: Zhang Mingyuan , Zhou Xuting , Zhang Yu , Sun Lijun , Dun Ming , Du Wenbo , Cao Xianbin
Published: April 2019

This paper explores the propagation effect of flight delays among airports in the aviation system and proposes a new measure, the propagation index, to effectively analyze the interrelationship among airports in relation to flight delays. This index quantifies the effect of delay propagation by measuring the causality among delay time series. To assess the effectiveness of the proposed index on airport delays, three neural network-based regression models are built. The comparative experiments demonstrate that the propagation index proposed is highly correlated with observed airport delays.
ABC Analysis of an Aerospace Business Case on ALM Technologies in Aerospace and Defence Supply Chain
Authors: Kemsaram Narsimlu , Maley Kishore Kumar , Mahadevan Raghunandan
Published: April 2019

This article provides an analysis of an aerospace business case on additive layer manufacturing (ALM) process. Using activity-based costing (ABC), we can breakdown the cost drivers and understand the cost levers associated with ALM process. This can help us in finding the innovative ways to enhance the ALM process operation’s efficiency. We have considered an aircraft bracket manufacturing using the direct metal laser sintering process as a business case for our ABC analysis on additive layer manufacturing technologies in aerospace and defence supply chain. The additive layer manufactured components associated cost can be divided into design cost, production cost, post-processing cost and qualification cost. Each step in the additive manufacturing process performs at one organisation or across a supply chain based on the various internal and external suppliers. Also, there are overhead costs associated with each step of this additive manufacturing process. This article explains the cost involved in the component design and its relevance to supply chain. It explains the cost involved in the component production such as materials cost, machine set-up cost, machine runtime cost and final build plate removal cost. It also explains the cost involved in the post-processing such as heat-treating cost, machining cost and surface finish cost. The component process cost is required to qualify based on its end use. The component qualification cost is required to add significantly to the component overall cost including the labour cost and computer tomography scan cost. The overhead cost is depending on the individual operation and it assigns these costs appropriately. It computes the ABC for an aerospace bracket and concludes with analysis to make a convinceable business case for the use of innovative technology and to enable to identify the cost of drivers and levers, so it can drive business with more efficiently.
Does Share Repurchase Announcement Lead to Rise in Share Price? Evidence from India
Authors: Mukherjee Paramita , Chatterjee Chanchal
Published: April 2019

In recent years, there is an increasing trend of share repurchase announcement by Indian firms. This article attempts to examine whether open market share repurchase announcements in India lead to excess stock returns and to identify the factors responsible for additional stock returns. Apart from a standard market method, the price behaviour is examined on an individual basis. The results show that the firms, on an average, do not experience price improvement after share repurchase. While 24 per cent of the firms lose and 10 per cent gain, the rest experience no change. In normal times, investors prefer small-cap companies, but post-announcement, promoters’ share and premium play an important role.
Developing and Validating a Scale to Assess Strategic Entrepreneurship Among Women: A Case of Jammu and Kashmir in India
Authors: Siddiqui Saif , Jan Sumaira
Published: April 2019

The combination of entrepreneurship and strategic management, called strategic entrepreneurship, is still in its infancy, as Hitt et al. proposed it in the year 2001. Since then researchers have continuously pushed their limits to explore it on different fronts and domains. But, so far, a mutual consent on what actually constitutes it has not been achieved. In developing nations like India, this concept presents huge opportunities for researchers to explore it on different dimensions and domains. Specifically talking about the state of Jammu and Kashmir ( J & K) where entrepreneurship was once considered to be a male-dominated field, this concept presents huge opportunities for researchers to fill in the gap. The aim of the present study is to develop and validate a scale which can be used to assess strategic entrepreneurship among women entrepreneurs of the state of J & K in India. The major takeaway of this study is that innovativeness, entrepreneurial culture, entrepreneurial leadership, entrepreneurial mindset, strategic management of resources and networking significantly load on strategic entrepreneurship. The study proposes a significantly positive relationship between the various dimensions which means a positive variation in one dimension leads to a positive variation in another as well and vice versa. The study provides a scale which can be used for test–retest analysis for future studies on strategic entrepreneurship in the state. This study is of great help to the researchers who want to explore strategic perspective of entrepreneurship among women entrepreneurs.
Ca2+/Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinase II Regulation by Inhibitor 1 of Protein Phosphatase 1 Protects Against Myocardial Ischemia–Reperfusion Injury
Authors: Yu Jin , Chen Yun , Xu Mengting , Sun Linlin , Luo Huiqin , Bao Xiaofeng , Meng Guoliang , Zhang Wei
Published: April 2019

Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase IIδ (CaMKIIδ) plays a vital role in cardiovascular system. However, the potential protective role of inhibitor 1 of protein phosphatase 1 (I1PP1), which can regulate CaMKII, on myocardial ischemia–reperfusion (I/R) injury remains unknown. In the present study, expression of CaMKIIδ variants was detected by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. I1PP1 was overexpressed by pericardial injection of recombinant adenovirus. Two weeks later, rats were subjected to left anterior descending ligation for 30 minutes followed by reperfusion. Myocardial infarct size was assessed by Evans blue/triphenyl tetrazolium chloride staining. Serum creatine kinase (CK) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activity as well as myocardial pathological structure were detected. CaMKII activity was evaluated by phosphorylation of phospholamban (PLB) and oxidation of CaMKII. Expression of dynamin-related protein 1 (DRP1) and optic atrophy 1 (OPA1) in the mitochondria was measured by Western blot. We found that CaMKIIδA and CaMKIIδB expression decreased, while the expression of CaMKIIδC increased after myocardial I/R. Moreover, after 30-minute ischemia followed by 6 hours of reperfusion, I1PP1 overexpression reduced myocardial infarct size, decreased serum CK and LDH activity, ameliorated myocardial pathological structure, inhibited PLB phosphorylation at Thr17, suppressed CaMKII oxidation, elevated CaMKIIδA and CaMKIIδB variants but reduced CaMKIIδC variants, attenuated myocardial oxidative stress, improved myocardial mitochondrial ultrastructure, increased mitochondrial number and mitochondrial DNA copy number, and decreased DRP1 but increased OPA1 protein expression from the mitochondria in rats. Thus, I1PP1 regulated CaMKII, protected mitochondrial function, reduced oxidative stress, and attenuated myocardial I/R injury.
Variational asymptotic homogenization of beam-like square lattice structures
Authors: Barchiesi Emilio , Khakalo Sergei
Published: April 2019

By means of variational asymptotic homogenization, using Piola’s meso-macro ansatz, we derive the linear Timoshenko beam as the macro-scale limit of a meso-scale beam-like periodic planar square lattice structure. By considering benchmarks in statics and dynamics, meso-to-macro convergence is numerically analyzed. At the finest micro-scale, a 2D assembly of elastic, geometrically linear, isotropic and homogeneous Cauchy continua in plane strain with different material parameters is considered. Using this description, we calibrate the meso-scale model using standard methodology and, by exploiting the meso-to-macro homogenization scaling laws, we recover bending and shear Timoshenko beam moduli. It turns out that the Timoshenko beam found in this way and the finest-scale description based on the Cauchy continuum are in excellent agreement.
A new study on the influencing factors and mechanism of shielding effectiveness of woven fabrics containing stainless steel fibers
Authors: Yang Yalan , Wang Jianping , Liu Zhe , Wang Zhujun
Published: April 2019

Electromagnetic radiation is becoming increasingly serious around our living environment, which seriously endangers people's health and interferes with the operation of electronic equipment. The research and development of anti-electromagnetic radiation fabric have drawn more and more attention. However, the influencing rules and mechanisms of conductive fiber content, fabric tightness, warp–weft density, conductive yarn arrangement, weave type, and electromagnetic wave frequency on fabric electromagnetic shielding effectiveness have not been clarified. Therefore, in this study, a series of fabrics containing stainless steel fibers were produced. Meanwhile, the influencing rules of various factors on electromagnetic shielding effectiveness and the quantitative relationship between some factors and electromagnetic shielding effectiveness were discussed. The results showed that all factors had different degrees of influence on electromagnetic shielding effectiveness, and the relationship between electromagnetic shielding effectiveness and electromagnetic wave frequency could be approximately expressed as: [Formula: see text]. At the same time, the influencing mechanisms of various factors on electromagnetic shielding effectiveness were analyzed in combination with fabric microstructure and macrostructure, the intrinsic parameters of the fabric and the electromagnetic shielding effectiveness mechanism. The results are expected to provide a reference for the establishment of electromagnetic shielding fabric model and enterprise production.
Quxie Capsule Inhibits Colon Tumor Growth Partially Through Foxo1-Mediated Apoptosis and Immune Modulation
Authors: Chen Dongmei , Yang Yufei , Yang Peiying
Published: April 2019

Quxie capsule (QX), a herbal remedy used in traditional Chinese medicine, is routinely used in advanced colorectal cancer treatment in Xiyuan Hospital in Beijing, China. However, the mechanism(s) underlying the effect of QX in colorectal cancer remain unclear, which hampers the optimal use of QX for the treatment of the disease. The transcription factor forkhead box O1 (Foxo1) plays important roles in regulation of cell cycle, apoptosis, and immune response in various cancers. In this study, we examined the antitumor efficacy of QX in a mouse model of colorectal cancer and further investigated the mechanism by which QX regulated Foxo1 protein-mediated pathways. QX administered via gavage daily for 2 weeks in mice carrying CT26 mouse colon tumors resulted in significantly lower mean tumor weight (0.93 ± 0.32 g) compared with that in vehicle control-treated mice (1.57 ± 0.57 g, P <.05). Foxo1 protein expression in tumors was also higher in the QX group than that in the vehicle control group. Furthermore, QX treatment upregulated apoptotic proteins such as Fas, Bim, and cleaved caspase-3 in tumor tissue compared with those in the vehicle control group. Intriguingly, the ratios of Th1/Th2 and Th17/Treg cells and levels of T-bet protein (the key regulator of Th1 and Th2 cells) were higher while the level of Foxp3 (the key regulator of Treg cells) was lower in QX-treated mice compared to vehicle control mice, revealing that Foxo1 upregulated T-bet and downregulated Foxp3 and induced a shift in immune balance. This shift could be critical in the antitumor efficacy of QX. Furthermore, knocking down Foxo1 in human colon cancer HCT116 cells partially blocked the effect of QX-elicited antiproliferative activity. Together, these results suggest that QX exerts antitumor activity in CT26 mouse colon cancer model partially mediated by Foxo1-induced apoptosis and antitumor immune response.
Hormetic Dose Response of NaAsO2 on Cell Proliferation of Prostate Cells in Vitro: Implications for Prostate Cancer Initiation and Therapy
Authors: Lundqvist Johan , Helmersson Erik , Oskarsson Agneta
Published: April 2019

Sodium meta-arsenite (NaAsO2) has been suggested to play a role both in initiation/progression of prostate cancer and as a future antiprostate cancer drug. We have studied the effects of NaAsO2 on cell proliferation of prostate cancer and noncancer cells, breast cancer cells, and adrenocortical carcinoma cells in vitro. Further, we have investigated the effect of NaAsO2 on the androgen receptor. We report that NaAsO2 alters the cell proliferation of prostate cells, in a hormetic manner, by increasing cell proliferation at low concentrations and decreasing the cell proliferation at high concentrations. No activation of the androgen receptor was detected. We conclude that NaAsO2 is able to increase cell proliferation of prostate cells in vitro at low concentrations, while it decreases cell viability at high concentrations. This novel finding has to be further addressed if NaAsO2 should be developed into an antiprostate cancer drug.
Desafíos para la promoción de la salud: El caso del mercado de las Fórmulas Infantiles en México
Authors: Torre Pilar , Salas Monserrat , Silva Consuelo Ingrid
Published: April 2019

Resumen:

se reconoce a la lactancia materna como la modalidad alimentaria ideal para el óptimo crecimiento y desarrollo infantil. En México, la prevalencia nacional de lactancia materna exclusiva entre los menores de 6 meses es de 30.8%, cifra que constituye un desafío a la promoción de la salud. Las fórmulas infantiles se han constituido en productos socialmente aceptables, convenientes y equivalentes, sea por las condiciones del trabajo materno, las dificultades propias de la lactancia, el uso rutinario de fórmulas y biberones durante la atención del parto, la desinformación médica, el prestigio social de las fórmulas, el papel del Estado y la mercadotecnia de fabricantes. Este artículo muestra la oferta y la disponibilidad comercial de fórmulas en México, mediante un estudio transversal realizado en 2016, en 35 establecimientos en la Ciudad de México (marca, fabricante, precio, cantidad, indicaciones de consumo y país de origen); y otro estudio retrospectivo, sobre el volumen en miles de toneladas y el valor en millones de dólares, de las ventas nacionales de 2012 a 2016. Se encontraron 79 productos elaborados por 13 fabricantes, con diferentes precios; Nestlé® ofrece el 25% de los productos. El volumen del mercado nacional en 2016, 78 mil toneladas, genera una disponibilidad de 600 millones de litros de fórmula preparada, 743 mL de preparación por nacido vivo por día, que alcanzaría para alimentar a todos los nacidos vivos en ese año; el valor, 596 millones de dólares representa un costo de 0.74 dólares por nacido vivo por día. Frente a los compromisos internacionales como Salud en Todas las Políticas y la Declaración sobre Desarrollo Sostenible, esta disponibilidad constituye un desafío para la promoción de la lactancia materna, ante la complejidad de las decisiones maternas y familiares, en los diversos contextos sociales.
Enhancing the learning of technology in early childhood settings
Authors: Fox-Turnbull Wendy
Published: April 2019

This article describes a study of early childhood teachers’ understanding of teaching and learning in children 4 and 5 years of age in technology education. The research aimed at assisting teachers’ understanding of learning in technology using a developed framework. This study investigated the development of dispositions and attitudes including the building of children’s confidence and self-belief in their capabilities, within four aspects of learning and across five predetermined behaviours relevant to technology education. The study employed qualitative research methods to assist teachers with the use of an observation and conversation framework aimed to improve their ability to assess formatively their children and their own ability to give specific feedback. Observations and interviews were used to gauge teachers’ developed understandings of children’s learning in technology. The study shows that the framework used benefitted teachers and children. It allowed for insight into understanding how and what children learn in technology and teachers’ understanding of technology.
Intentional teaching: Can early-childhood educators create the conditions for children’s conceptual development when following a child-centred programme?
Authors: Lewis Rebecca , Fleer Marilyn , Hammer Marie
Published: April 2019

This study investigated the practice of two early-childhood educators and their interactions with 24 children (mean age 5.2 years) in an inner-suburban Australian preschool setting. The study specifically examined the nature of how educators ‘intentionally teach’ concepts to young children in a child-centred programme. Six hours of educator–child digital video observations and three hours of educator interviews were gathered and analysed using Kravtsova’s (2009) concept of ‘subject positioning’. The findings suggest that it was challenging to teach intentionally in a child-centred programme based on children’s interests. This research is the first phase of a larger study. It is argued that the tensions between educators’ beliefs about child learning and their role in relation to fostering children’s conceptual development in child-centred programmes could make it difficult for educators to implement intentional teaching as presented in the Australian Early Years Learning Framework (DEEWR, 2009).
Voicing the Victims of Narcissistic Partners: A Qualitative Analysis of Responses to Narcissistic Injury and Self-Esteem Regulation
Authors: Green Ava , Charles Kathy
Published: April 2019

Addressing an underresearched aspect of narcissism, this study investigated subclinical “grandiose” and “vulnerable” narcissism within the context of domestic violence. Common triggers evoking narcissistic rage and differences in narcissistic injury response were explored. Qualitative semi-structured interviews with seven participants who reported being in a relationship with a narcissistic partner were thematically analyzed. Three overarching themes emerged: (a) overt and covert expressions of abuse, (b) challenge to self-perceived authority, and (c) fear of abandonment. Findings suggest both grandiose and vulnerable narcissists’ reactions to narcissistic injury are most likely covertly and overtly aggressive and violent; however, the underlying motives for the behavior differed. For grandiose narcissists, violence was commonly triggered by threats to self-esteem, whereas vulnerable narcissists commonly experienced significant injury and rage from fear of abandonment. It is argued that attempts to regulate and restore self-esteem for the two subtypes of narcissistic presentation will differ, thus providing further support for theoretical distinctions between grandiose and vulnerable narcissists in intimate relationships. It is concluded that popular images of the narcissist are overly simplistic as the personality trait is more complex than the grandiose type typically presented. This study contributes new understanding to the nature of narcissism in domestic violence. Limitations and suggestions for future research are discussed.
Spinal Cord Diffuse Midline Glioma in a 4-Year-Old Boy
Authors: Kumar Ashutosh , Rashid Salman , Singh Sumit , Li Rong , Dure Leon S.
Published: April 2019

Objective:

We report a child presenting with spinal myelopathy secondary to H3K27M mutant diffuse midline glioma.

Case Report:

A 4-year-old boy presented with a 3-week history of progressive gait difficulty. Examination revealed bilateral hand and lower extremity weakness, left leg hypertonia with ankle clonus, and a right hemisensory deficit. Magnetic resonance imaging of neuroaxis showed cervical and thoracic spinal cord with expansion and irregular areas of enhancement. Serum and cerebrospinal fluid studies were unremarkable for infectious, autoimmune, inflammatory, and neoplastic causes but showed mild cerebrospinal fluid pleocytosis, hypoglycorrhachia, and high protein level. A thoracic cord biopsy revealed a diffuse midline glioma (World Health Organization grade IV). Consequently, the tumor involved intracranial structures and patient died within 4 months after diagnosis.

Conclusion:

High-grade spinal cord gliomas are very rare but should be considered in the differential diagnosis of pediatric myelopathy. Tissue biopsy is recommended in indeterminate cases to facilitate diagnosis and to guide management.
Perception of Physician Empathy Varies With Educational Level and Gender of Patients Undergoing Low-Yield Computerized Tomographic Imaging
Authors: Kline Jeffrey A , Lin Michelle P , Hall Cassandra L , Puskarich Michael A , Dehon Erin , Kuehl Damon R , Wang Ralph C , Hess Erik P , Runyon Michael S , Wang Hao , Courtney D Mark
Published: April 2019

Objective:

Lack of empathic communication between providers and patients may contribute to low value diagnostic testing in emergency care. Accordingly, we measured the perception of physician empathy and trust in patients undergoing low-value computed tomography (CT) in the emergency department (ED).

Methods:

Multicenter study of ED patients undergoing CT scanning, acknowledged by ordering physicians as unlikely to show an emergent condition. Near the end of their visit, patients completed the Jefferson Scale of Patient Perception of Physician Empathy (JSPPPE), Trust in Physicians Survey (TIPS), and the Group Based Medical Mistrust Scale (GBMMS). We stratified results by patient demographics including gender, race, and education.

Results:

We enrolled 305 participants across 9 sites with diverse geographic, racial, and ethnic representation. The median scores (interquartile ranges) for the JSPPPE, TIPS, and GBMMS for all patients were 29 (24-33.5), 55 (47-62), and 18 (12-29). Compared with white patients, nonwhite patients had similar JSPPPE and TIPS scores but had higher (worse) GBMMS scores. Females had significantly lower JSPPPE and TIPS scores than males, and scores were lower (worse) in females with college degrees. Patients in the lowest tier of educational status had the highest (better) JSPPPE and TIPS scores. Scores were invariant with physician characteristics.

Conclusion:

Among patients undergoing low-value CT scanning in the ED, the degree of patient perception of physician empathy and trust varied based on the patients’ level of education and gender. Given this variation, an intervention to increase patient perception of physician empathy should contain individualized strategies to address these subgroups, rather than a one-size-fits-all approach.
Infused factor VIII–expressing platelets or megakaryocytes as a novel therapeutic strategy for hemophilia A
Authors: Lyde Randolph B. , Ahn Hyun Sook , Vo Karen K. , Jarocha Danuta J. , Tkaczynski John , Treffeisen Elsa , Sullivan Spencer K. , Camire Rodney M. , Sabatino Denise E. , French Deborah L. , Poncz Mortimer
Published: April 2019

B-domainless factor VIII (FVIII) ectopically expressed in megakaryocytes (MKs) is stored in α granules of platelets (pFVIII) and is capable of restoring hemostasis in FVIIInull mice, even in the presence of circulating inhibitors. However, our prior studies have shown that this ectopically expressed pFVIII can injure developing MKs. Moreover, the known risks of prolonged thrombocytopenia after bone marrow transplantation are significant challenges to the use of this strategy to treat individuals with severe hemophilia A and particularly those with intractable clinically relevant inhibitors. Because of these limitations, we now propose the alternative therapeutic pFVIII strategy of infusing pFVIII-expressing MKs or platelets derived from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). pFVIII-expressing iPSC-derived MKs, termed iMKs, release platelets that can contribute to improved hemostasis in problematic inhibitor patients with hemophilia A. As proof of principle, we demonstrate that hemostasis can be achieved in vitro and in vivo with pFVIII-expressing platelets and show prolonged efficacy. Notably, pFVIII-expressing platelets are also effective in the presence of inhibitors, and their effect was enhanced with recombinant FVIIa. Human pFVIII-expressing iMKs improved hemostasis in vitro, and derived platelets from infused human pFVIII-expressing iMKs improved hemostasis in FVIIInull mice. These studies indicate the potential therapeutic use of recurrent pFVIII-expressing MK or platelet infusions with prolonged hemostatic coverage that may be additive with bypassing agents in hemophilia A patients with neutralizing inhibitors.
Favorable outcomes with de-escalated radiation therapy for limited-stage nodular lymphocyte-predominant Hodgkin lymphoma
Authors: Pinnix Chelsea C. , Milgrom Sarah A. , Cheah Chan Yoon , Gunther Jillian R. , Ludmir Ethan B. , Wogan Christine F. , Nastoupil Loretta J. , Neelapu Sattva S. , Westin Jason , Lee Hun J. , Iyer Swaminathan P. , Steiner Raphael E. , Fayad Luis E. , Fowler Nathan H. , Wang Michael L. , Samaniego Felipe , Rodriguez Maria A. , Rich Amy E. , Medeiros L. Jeffrey , Dabaja Bouthaina S.
Published: April 2019

Key Points

Short-term data suggest that stage I/II NLPHL can be treated with ISRT without a negative impact on disease-free survival.
The role of change in fertility desire on change in family planning use: A longitudinal investigation in urban Uttar Pradesh, India
Authors: Srivastava Ujjaval , Singh Anjali , Verma Prashant , Singh Kaushalendra Kumar
Published: April 2019

Background: Reproductive choice is one of the rights of any woman, but women are often ambivalent towards fertility desires and choice of contraception. Our study explores how the change in fertility desires influence the change in use of modern contraception over time in six cities of Uttar Pradesh, India.

Methods: Data for this study comes from the Measurement, Learning and Evaluation (MLE) Project for Urban Health Initiative in six cities of Uttar Pradesh. Our study sample consists of 8735 women (weighted n=8655) who were fertile, non-sterilized and non-pregnant at the time of baseline survey. Potential bias due to lost to follow up was addressed using inverse probability weighing and then generalized estimating equations were applied to get odds for change in use of modern contraceptives. 

Results: Contraceptive use increased by different magnitudes from baseline to endline across all six cities. At baseline and endline, women who desired no more children reported a higher use of modern contraception than those who desired more children over time. Women from all cities who desired no more children at baseline had higher odds of modern contraceptive use than that of women who desired more children. The tempo of change in use of modern contraception over time among women with different fertility desires differed across the considered cities.

Conclusion: Although there were city-wise differences observed, women’s fertility intentions have an impact on their use of modern contraceptives over the time period between baseline to endline. To obtain greater insight into city-level differences, mixed method studies will be more effective.
Data-Driven Percentile Optimization for Multiclass Queueing Systems with Model Ambiguity: Theory and Application
Authors: Bren Austin , Saghafian Soroush
Published: April 2019

Multiclass queueing systems widely used in operations research and management typically experience ambiguity in real-world settings in the form of unknown parameters. For such systems, we incorporate robustness in the control policies by applying a data-driven percentile optimization technique that allows for (a) expressing a controller’s optimism level toward ambiguity and (b) utilizing incoming data to learn the true system parameters. We show that the optimal policy under the percentile optimization objective is related to a closed-form, priority-based policy. We also identify connections between the optimal percentile optimization and c µ-like policies, which, in turn, enables us to establish effective but easy-to-use heuristics for implementation in complex systems. Using real-world data collected from a leading U.S. hospital, we also apply our approach to a hospital emergency department setting and demonstrate the benefits of using our framework for improving current patient flow policies.
Generalized Integrated Brownian Fields for Simulation Metamodeling
Authors: Salemi Peter , Staum Jeremy , Nelson Barry L.
Published: April 2019

In operations research, stochastic simulations are often used to model complex systems. Simulation runs can be time-consuming to execute, especially when there are many scenarios that need to be evaluated, or the scenarios to be evaluated cannot be anticipated in advance of when the results are needed. Simulation metamodels are statistical models built using the simulation output at a small set of scenarios and can be used to predict the value of the response surface for any scenario, simulated or not. Thus, simulation metamodels can provide support for real-time decision making and sensitivity analysis. Gaussian process (GP) regression is a popular technique for metamodeling; GP regression represents the unknown response surface as the realization of a Gaussian random field (GRF). Specifying the proper GRF is crucial for effective metamodeling. In “Generalized Integrated Brownian Fields for Simulation Metamodeling”, Salemi, Staum, and Nelson propose a novel class of GRFs called generalized integrated Brownian fields. These GRFs have several desirable properties, including differentiability that can be customized in each coordinate direction, no mean reversion, and the Markov property. These properties are shown to lead to better metamodels than those obtained from standard choices for the GRF.
Molecular understanding of pharmacological treatment of osteoporosis
Authors: Tanaka Sakae
Published: April 2019

Osteoporosis is a serious health concern, particularly in aged societies. The burden of osteoporosis with its associated morbidity and mortality due to fracture has become a critical socioeconomic problem. Skeletal integrity is maintained through a balance of bone resorption and bone formation. The bone turnover process, called bone remodelling. Recently, a number of anti-osteoporosis drugs with excellent anti-osteoporosis and fracture effects have been developed. They are mainly classified into two groups according to their effects on bone remodelling: anti-resorptive agents and anabolic agents.

Cite this article: EFORT Open Rev 2019;4:158-164. DOI: 10.1302/2058-5241.4.180018